


The BF

by afuzzyowl



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Big Gay Love Story, College AU, Developing Relationship, Drama, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Romance, but theyre still saps, cliche drama probs, crackish undertone but serious plot, dorkwin, getting more srs than i planned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-04
Updated: 2015-08-12
Packaged: 2018-03-29 01:10:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 76,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3876682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afuzzyowl/pseuds/afuzzyowl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi gets a new boyfriend, and he's everything Levi could have ever hoped for. Except there are rumours going around, rumours that maybe he's not as perfect as he seems...</p><p>college au: a cute domestic love story with a sprinkling of drama, brought to you through normal ol' prose, Facebook messenger convos, text messages, and maybe more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this started out as crack, and then it became an actual plot...i don't know what happened :/ but please enjoy, and i hope you have as much fun reading as i did writing!
> 
> References made to the doujinshi “Dancho to Heicho to Oppai to Ore” by AOT*14-D*Kosino. Please don’t sue; this was only for entertainment purposes *sobs*

It was a fine spring morning when Levi got his first ever boyfriend. He was practically vibrating with the need to let his two best friends know, but because finals were only a week away, he decided to be merciful and grant them the ignorance that would allow them to stay focused.

For about an hour.

“So I got a boyfriend,” Levi blurted out, hoping it wasn’t as loud as it sounded in his ears.

He braced himself for the inevitable fanfare. Flipped a page of his anatomy textbook, tapped his pen on his notebook, typed nonsense into his laptop and then backspaced.

Silence.

Levi cleared his throat. “This guy asked me out and I said yes.” 

Some kid two rows down from them, sandwiched between W to Z of etymology and A to D of 18th century history, made a noise that sounded like he was trying to inhale past the titanic glob of mucus clogging his sinuses. At least, that’s what Levi thought it sounded like. You know that one kid who’s always sick, no matter the season? The kid who’s always discreetly wiping snot on their sleeve? Yeah. That was him.

But other than John—Jake? Jeff? Nah, it was probably John—there was not a peep in their little corner of the library.

Maybe they were wearing earphones and didn’t hear him? Levi peeked across the small round table, but both Petra and Hange were frowning down at their respective textbooks, ears clear of those invasive little things that sometimes felt like parasites squirming their way towards your brain.

“You two deaf or some shit?” Levi snapped.

Petra sighed. “We heard you the first time.”

“This isn’t exactly the time for moronic jokes, shorty,” Hange said, serious for once. “If I fail this final, I’m gonna have to repeat the year.”

Levi sat there dumbly, wanting to splutter indignantly, but spluttering didn’t fit his image. So he spluttered in his mind, and threw in a few curse words too, since that made it sound cooler. “You shits, I’m being _serious_ here.”

Hange exhaled sharply through their nose. Bitch couldn’t even be bothered to actually laugh. “Sure you are, Mr. I-have-never-had-a-boyfriend-and-will-never-need-one-because-I-am-a-strong-independent-half-Asian-half-white-man.”

“What the fuck! I’m allowed to change my mind!”

“Whatever you say, Mr. I-am-a-virgin-and-will-forever-stay-a-virgin-so-help-me-Mary.”

“Guys, I’m trying to concentrate,” Petra groaned.

“GODDAMMIT, I AM BEING SERIOUS HERE,” Levi almost-hollered, shooting to his feet as he slammed his palms on the table. Petra and Hange both froze, staring up at him with round eyes. John stopped choking on his snot. There was a moment of suffocating silence, and then in the distance, a measured clicking began to approach, and Levi fell back into his seat in horror. He scrambled for a bit before deciding to Google whatever first popped into his mind to make it look like he was doing research (unfortunately, it turned out to be "Lady Gaga"). When pointed black heels rounded the corner of the last bookshelf shielding our three beloved Survey Cor—err, students, only Petra had the courage to look up.

“Hello, Ms. Adams,” she said with a sweet smile. Bless the girl.

“Is there a problem here, scholars?” Ms. Adams cocked a finely tweaked eyebrow, arms crossed over her perfectly-ironed dress shirt.

“Not at all,” Petra purred. “We apologize for the disturbance; Levi was just revealing to us some important news.” Ms. Adams’s laser-beam gaze zing’d to Levi, who twitched.

“Sorry ma’am. It won’t happen again,” he muttered, only glancing up at her because the rules of polite social conduct dictated that he did.

Ms. Adams stared down at him, the lenses of her thick, black-framed glasses glinting. Levi fidgeted and hoped she couldn’t smell his fear. “I should hope so,” she finally said, and with a dramatic whirl, turned to go back to whatever dwelling she roosted at when she wasn’t terrorizing penniless students. Speaking of which, how odd was it that Levi could still feel bone-chilling dread when university had sucked his bank account and pretty much whatever soul he had completely dry? But he digressed; at least the beast had decided that she would feast another day. Ha, internal rhymes, oh how clever he was.

“’Scholars’, she says,” Hange snickered.

“I almost burst out laughing at that,” Petra whispered.

“Tch.”

“So,” Hange said, leaning close. “You actually agreed to go out with some dude?”

Levi just shrugged, his excitement having been extinguished by the beast. “Thought I might try it out.”

Petra's eyes were round as saucers. “But you hate couples!” she exclaimed. “Remember that time we went jogging, and you bought an ice cream cone for the sole purpose of ‘accidentally’ dumping it on a couple making out on a park bench?”

“Oh my God,” Hange snorted.

“Yeah, I hate couples ‘cause they’re annoying as fuck.”

“And you always reject everyone!” Petra continued. “Not just people who ask you out, even friends and stuff! Remember that time that Eren kid invited you to the movies with him and his friends and you refused because his boobs weren’t big enough?”

“Holy shit, I remember that!” Hange crowed. “Did you see his face though, he looked so violated! And he wore only sweaters and hoodies for a year after that, even during the summer!”

“It’s not my fault he’s got a fucking flat chest,” Levi growled. “And I don’t have a thing for brats.”

“He’s only two years younger,” Hange stated matter-of-factly.

“Exactly. Brat.”

“And—and, you don’t _like_ anyone!” Petra whined. “I mean, other than us, but who doesn’t love us! Remember that time in grade school, when that really snobby girl thought you wanted to be friends with her because she was apparently the coolest, and you threw a bag of Mr. Fluffy’s poo at he—”

“The hell, I didn’t even know you back then, how do you remember that? And yeah, I mean, it was fitting considering how shitty her personality wa—”

“Whatever, forget about Shitty Grade School Girl for now,” Hange said exasperatedly. “Who’s the lucky guy? Do we know him?” Petra sucked in a breath, inching closer.

“Uh, probably not. He’s not in kines or bio.”

“Huh?” Petra frowned. “How’d you meet someone from outside the science faculty?”

“More like, how’d you make friends with someone who isn’t a mutual friend of ours,” Hange said with a smirk. Levi bristled.

“Shitty glasses, d’you even know how fucking loved I am?”

“Well, I mean, _I_ know how lovable you are, but you’re not exactly…outwardly nice, you know. See, Petra would agree with me.” But Petra remained suspiciously quiet as she pretended to fiddle with her pencil, her face glowing red. “…Petra?”

“…”

“…”

“…Petra…?”

“Fine, all right, I admit it, okay!” She sighed. “I was part of the Levi fan club back in middle school. I couldn’t help it! He was so amazing during our sports festivals, and the way he was cold to everyone made him unapproachable like a real hero. Everyone worshipped him back at Trost Middle. You wouldn’t know, Hange, you went to a different middle school.”

“Wait, what?” Levi said, his nose scrunching up. “You were part of that creepy group? Like, the one that followed me around and chanted We Love Levi in the halls and everything?”

Petra covered her face with her hands. Hange howled in laughter, tears streaming out of their eyes. “Whatever, that’s in the past! Be quiet, Hange, stop laughing,” Petra hissed. They didn’t stop. “So, Levi,” Petra cleared her throat. “Your boyfriend. What’s he like?”

“He’s…uh…” Levi’s ears warmed, and Hange immediately stopped cackling. “Really nice.” They exchanged a surprised glance with Petra, who bounced in her seat and tried to hold in a squeal.

“What else?” Petra asked eagerly.

“Um…he’s a bit of a dork, actually. Like, a total nerd.”

“Huh?” The sparkle faded a bit from Petra’s eyes. “Nerds are your type?”

Levi rolled his eyes. “No, dammit, he just happens to be a nerd.”

“Well…what faculty is he in?” Petra pressed on.

“Law.”

“Law?” Hange and Petra echoed, perking up. It was kind of fun making them freak out. Maybe Levi should’ve done this earlier. “But…a nerdy law student?” Petra deflated again. “So one of those bookworms, then?”

Levi shrugged. “I guess. He probably studies a lot.”

“How’d you meet?” Hange piped up.

“Technically…preschool. He was getting bullied and I saved him ‘cause the head bully was a jackass and I wanted to make him cry. Also ‘cause I was a badass motherfucker even as a toddler,” Levi sniffed haughtily. “And after that, he followed me around like a fucking puppy until we went to different elementary schools.”

“So you’ve known him all this time? And you never said anything about him??” Hange accused, obviously offended.

“I forgot all about the little shit, but he apparently recognized me when he saw me at the grocery store a few months ago.”

Petra’s frown only deepened. “Sooo……..he’s like, a nice, wimpy nerd? That’s…different, I suppose.”

“He’s not a wimp anymore. He’s,” Levi hesitated, looking for the right word. “Kinda…big.”

Petra imagined a chubby guy with a face full of pimples, head buried in a book as he hid behind telephone poles, following Levi around, and bit her lip. Then again, if Levi had chosen him, then he couldn’t be that bad, right? Levi had always been an excellent judge of character. Yes, as a friend, she should fully support this important decision of his. “Well, I guess it’s fine as long as he makes you happy,” she said with a smile. “Congratulations, Levi!”

Hange, on the other hand, was less than impressed. They looked from Levi to Petra then back again, incredulous. “Are you kidding me? The one good thing you could think of to say about him was that he’s _nice_? “Nice” is the word people use when their SOs are ugly and dull!”

Petra gasped and smacked Hange on the arm. “Hange! You can’t just _say_ that!”

“What? It’s true! You might be satisfied with whoever Levi chooses, but settling isn’t the solution!”

“He’s not ugly,” Levi growled, already pathetically defensive for the guy he’d only begun going out with earlier that day. “He’s really fucking hot.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Hanji scoffed, waving him off. “I’ll believe it when I see it, shorty. Now let me go back to what I was doing before you interrupted us with this disappointing development.”

Levi absolutely seethed. “Disappointing? _Disappointing_? I’ll show you disappointing, you shitter—”

* * *

After another half hour of squabbling over whether or not Levi’s new boyfriend was worthy, Levi had gotten fed up and decided to drag them all to see for themselves. What was the point of judging if they hadn’t even met the dude?

It had taken a short bus ride from the science sector of campus to the liberal arts one, given that their university was so large it was a small city in itself. Helpless giddiness began to mount in Levi’s chest as they approached; he hadn’t been expecting to see his moron again so soon. Plus this time, it was Levi going to see Erwin instead of the other way around. Levi had always been a little too lazy to make his way all the way to the law building, and Erwin hadn’t expected him to, although the latter made sure to give Levi careful instructions on where to find Erwin if he ever needed him.

And now Hange and Petra were both gawking up at the law building in awe, having never been in that particular area of campus. Wide panes of tinted glass covered most of the front face of the building, lending a view into its spacious interior. Sandwiched between window panes were looming stone pillars reminiscent of the temple of Zeus, which were topped by a stone roof that sloped up into a single, centered point. “Sina University: Faculty of Law”, was carved in stone above the pillars, its stiff letters complementing the architecture’s theme of Ancient Greece.

The glass front doors opened into an atrium no less impressive than the exterior of the building, with walls and ceilings of cherry wood and a plush carpeted floor. Small lamps illuminated the wide space, dim but cozy like candlelight.

“Damn,” Hange said with a low whistle. “These rich lawyers.”

“C’mon,” Levi muttered, scanning through the text message he’d saved from Erwin telling him how to navigate the huge building. “He’s probably on the fourth level, in the study areas.” He dragged them to the elevator in the center of the wide room, which opened with a quiet whoosh and moved silently upwards.

The fourth floor was a lot brighter, most of the walls replaced by windows, natural sunlight brightening the hall. A right turn out of the elevators led to a wider hallway of small classrooms on either side. Levi strode briskly to the end, then took a left, arriving at the sunny, open study space. Long tables were arranged in rows, and students dotted the space, some dressed formally, some in hoodies and jeans. Levi brightened when he spotted a group standing in the far corner. “See them, in the corner? The tall blond? That’s him.”

Hange and Petra followed his finger to the group. Levi watched them, waiting, waiting for the reaction and drama that he’d been thirsting for the minute he’d told them about the new addition to his life. Their eyes searched for a bit before locking on to the tall, broad, blond hunk of a man, identical looks of realization dawning on their faces, and their jaws dropped at the exact same time. The smugness Levi felt could not be described by words.

“See him?” he gloated, preening. But they ignored him. He shook his head, crossed his arms and smirked, deciding to be patient.

He mentally counted to one hundred, but neither Hange nor Petra showed any sign of even twitching. He tapped his foot loudly.

Still nothing.

They had been standing there with their mouths gaping open for long enough that Levi was beginning to worry about the possibility of permanent jaw injury. Wasn’t there a porn star who’d blown one cock too many and broken her jaw or something? Levi was sure the probability of there being an incident like that to be very high.

“Hey, gaylords,” he said with a sigh, smugness all but gone. “You guys done yet or what?”

Petra finally closed her mouth and swallowed hard. Hange continued to stare, and Levi cringed because was that saliva beginning to drip out of their mouth?

“S-So, like, um. Your boyfriend’s the brunet, right?” Petra said weakly.

Levi rolled his eyes. “No. I told you, the blond.”

“Are you s-sure?” Her voice was getting pitchier by the second. “Are you positive-positive?”

“Uh, yeah, I’m pretty sure I know by now the face of the guy I’ve been hanging out with for the last couple months.”

“B-But he’s—”

“ERWIN SMITH?” Hange suddenly screeched, making Levi jump. A few of the closer law students turned to glare at them. “YOU’RE GOING OUT WITH _THE_ ERWIN SMITH?”

Levi frowned. “How the hell do you know his name?”

At that, both Petra and Hange exploded in a flurry of motion.

“WHO THE HELL DOESN’T KNOW ERWIN SMITH?!”

“HE’S ONLY THE PRODIGIOUS SON OF THAT FAMOUS LAWYER WHO’S ON TV ALL THE TIME—”

“HE GOT INTO SINA UNI AT SIXTEEN—”

“AND LED THE SINA DEBATE TEAM TO NATIONALS AT SEVENTEEN—”

“—AND WON—”

“—PREDICTED TO PASS THE BAR AT TWENTY-FOUR WHEN THE AVERAGE AGE IS THIRTY—”

“—POLITE BUT ICE COLD TO EVERYONE—”

“—PERFECT HAIR, IMMACULATE APPEARANCE—”

“—STONE-FACED WITH AN AIR OF CONTROL—”

“—APPARENTLY QUITE MANIPULATIVE—”

“—BUT SUUUUUPER HOT, MMPH LOOK AT THOSE MUSCLES—”

“Holy fucking shit.” A law student sitting nearby whirled around and glared at them. “Will you idiots shut the fuck up? I’m so tired of hearing about Erwin fucking Smith all the time. Get the fuck out already.”

Hange and Petra shot raised eyebrows at each other. “Soooomebody’s jealous,” Hange whispered, and Petra giggled.

Levi, in the meantime, had just been staring at them like they’d told him that if human-eating giants suddenly took over the world one day, he’d become Humanity’s Strongest and, along with Erwin, save all their asses. Which was true. But you know, he didn’t know that, so he was mostly just confused and unsettled.

“What?” he finally forced out. “You sure that’s the same person?”

Hange rolled their eyes. “Well, how many Erwin Smiths do you know?”

“Erwin’s not exactly a common name,” Petra added. “And that guy over there is the one in the pictures, so...”

“P-Pictures?” Levi choked.

“Yeah, he’s always all over the school papers. Geez, Levi, get with the times.”

For the second time that day, Levi felt like spluttering in indignation. Because that was not the Erwin Smith he knew. Ice cold? Stone-faced? No, his Erwin was...his Erwin was...

* * *

“Levi?” a voice breathed out, sounding apprehensive but vaguely hopeful. Levi looked up from where he was palming an apple and frowned at the man who was blatantly gawking at him, grocery basket dropped at his feet. His blond bangs were loose and a little too long, brushing his eyelashes, and there was a bit of bed hair sticking up at the back of his head. The dorky knitted sweater he was wearing was one size too large, as were his gray sweatpants. Mismatched socks, solid black to white-and-blue-striped, peeked out of what looked suspiciously like house sandals.

Levi’s nose scrunched up. He didn’t recognize the guy, but something about the openness of his expression, the look of childlike hope behind fear of rejection, tickled at Levi’s memory.

“Do I know you?” he asked flatly.

The way the man’s face crumbled made Levi’s stomach drop. Even his inner sassy bitch pursed his lips in guilt. His frown deepened. When the fuck had he started caring about the delicate feelings of random strangers?

“Ah, I guess not,” Blondie said sheepishly, rubbing his neck. “Um, did you go to Stohess preschool?”

“…Yeah.”

“Well, you probably don’t remember, but you could say we played together quite a bit back then.” He couldn’t even keep the disappointment out of his voice.

Levi’s eyes narrowed. He carefully put down his own grocery basket and turned to fully face the guy, crossing his arms. His gaze trailed down from rumpled hair to lame dad sandals, then back up again. “I know you,” he said eventually. “You’re that brat, aren’t you?”

Blondie blinked at him. Then as the surprise melted away, his face began to brighten into a slow smile.

And, oh, what a smile it was.

Levi resisted the urge to shield his eyes from the blinding radiance of Blondie’s face—those straight white teeth, that silly, genuine excitement in his baby blue eyes. Shit, how were those caterpillar eyebrows even real?

And his name, his name was right on the tip of Levi’s tongue…

“You remember me?” the blond angel was saying as he stuck his hand out, presumably for Levi to shake. “I’m so happy to see you again. My name i—”

Then it clicked. “Erwin!” Levi finally blurted out. “Erwin Smith.”

Erwin’s eyes widened, and Levi hadn’t thought it was possible, but his megawatt smile upped its oomph until the place where Levi’s snarky little heart was supposed to be resounded with a pathetic, answering thump. He quickly thrust his hand into Erwin’s and shook hard, hoping that would appease the man. Erwin just kept grinning, his unkempt hair and mussed up clothing, irritating on anyone else, somehow only endearing him more to Levi.

“Yes, that’s me!”

God, the man was going to give him cavities.

* * *

After that, his cheeks tinted just the slightest brush of pink and a barely noticeable stutter in his voice, Erwin had asked Levi out for coffee. Apparently, preschool Levi had been Erwin’s "childhood idol", the one who had “brought light into his life”.

It was sappy as fuck, so Levi didn’t know why he ended up agreeing, especially seeing as he’d always found most people either boring or just plain stupid.

Later, he would recall in his mind’s eye the small cherub-faced boy he’d met in preschool, the one who was always getting his toys stolen and his artwork made fun of, for reasons Levi could no longer remember. But the one thing stuck in his memories was that no matter how mean the rest of the kids got, the boy never uttered a word of protest, never tattle-tale’d, never cried, and would simply find someplace else to carry on.

Levi had really, really liked that.

Not that he'd been thinking about the past or whatever when he’d nodded to Erwin’s invitation. There was just something about the dork that made him curious.

Their first deeper conversation took place in a Starbucks near the grocery store. When Erwin found out that they went to the same university, he’d excitedly asked if they could maybe study together sometimes, to which Levi had answered with a shrug. The following months, Erwin would come looking for him in the kinesiology building whenever he and Levi had coinciding free blocks, at times to really study, at times to chat and banter and gossip and joke around. A few weeks after their initial meeting, Erwin invited Levi to his dorm room, which he shared with a Mike Zacharius, who Levi hadn’t gotten around to meeting yet.

He quickly realized how comfortable and fun it was to be with Erwin. Levi, with his sharp tongue and quick wit, had often found in the past that others couldn’t keep up with him, or were turned off by his crass language and blunt statements. Not Erwin. At worst, he kept up with Levi; at best, he was three steps ahead. He took in all of Levi’s insults with an easy smile and matched them, the gleam in his eyes telling of his eagerness to please (like a cute puppy, always like a cute puppy, following Levi around with his wagging tail, tenderness plain under his playful puppy bites).

And Levi watched as with the passage of time, the reverence in Erwin’s eyes expanded to include amity, affection, and eventually something more. He kind of saw it coming, but was still shocked into delighted silence when sweet, adorable Erwin officially asked him out, big hands hiding under the table, trembling just the teensiest bit. Sure, Levi was confident, smart, athletic, and not too harsh on the eyes if he did say so himself, but he’d never figured himself as straight-laced, trusting, virtuous Erwin Smith’s type.

Yeah, that was the Erwin he knew.

His Erwin was the type of guy who bought Levi three different ice cream cones because he'd forgotten to ask what flavour to get, and didn’t want to assume that Levi wanted the same thing every time—and then proceeded to give the extras to the children waiting in line.

His Erwin, naturally brilliant but ten times more hardworking than the best of them, studied until late at night every day, to the point where Levi had developed the habit of calling him at one am to remind him to drag his heavy ass to bed.

His Erwin was almost careless with his clothing choice, opting to stick with old, worn sweaters and sweatpants that hung low on his hips unless he had to go to class.

His Erwin couldn’t cook or clean to save his life, so Levi made it a point to make his dorm room sparkle whenever he visited, leaving tupperwares in the fridge so that Erwin wouldn’t have to eat microwave foods for at least the next few days.

His Erwin, although sometimes busy enough to be neglectful of his own health, stuck to his workout regimen as closely as he was able, ensuring he stayed in top physical shape so that, and Levi quoted, “I will have many years to bring justice to this world, the chance to bring justice until the day I die”.

Which was why Levi had no idea who this frigid, cunning man Hange and Petra were describing was supposed to be. Manipulative? Ha, now that was a joke.

“Those are just rumours,” Levi declared, interrupting Hange and Petra’s hissing gossip. “Forget about them. You shitheads wanna meet him sometime today or are we just gonna stare at him from here?” His idiot friends immediately shut up and straightened before nodding gravely at him. He rolled his eyes, faking bravado, but his hands were sweating. This was the first time he’d be seeing Erwin as his _boyfriend_. And Erwin was with his friends, which was new—Erwin had always visited Levi alone, so Levi had never met any of his friends before.

The group was having what appeared to be a heated debate on Sina’s policy of the death sentence when Levi and co. approached. Erwin had his arms crossed, back facing them, silent but obviously listening attentively. He didn’t even notice Levi until the girl standing across from them tapped Erwin on the shoulder and pointed.

It was only for a second, but when Erwin turned around, his eyes were empty, his expression impassive and almost uncaring, the set of his mouth severe.

Levi sucked in a sharp breath and instinctively stepped back. Unwittingly, Hange’s and Petra’s words ran through his mind again. Cold, controlled, manipulative.

But then in the way that Levi was accustomed to, as the surprise that froze Erwin’s features melted away and he fully turned to Levi, arms dropping to his sides, a gooey warmth seeped into his face from the eyes out. Baby blues glowed with the brilliant smile that never failed to make Levi’s heart slam against his rib cage, even after having seen it hundreds of times. He heard Hange and Petra gasp behind him.

Levi let out the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding, his own expression softening. “Hey.”

“Hi,” Erwin said tenderly. His arms twitched as if he’d wanted to glomp Levi but remembered where they were.

Levi smirked. “What’s up?”

“Uh.” Erwin’s face began to redden, and Levi inwardly clapped his hands in glee. Flustered Erwin was adorable. “Not much, I suppose?”

“Am I interrupting anything?” Levi asked, glancing back at the law students who were openly staring at them. From their angle, they couldn’t see Erwin’s expression, for which Levi was oddly relieved.

“What?” Erwin looked back too as if he’d forgotten about his friends. “Oh, no. We were just…having a bit of a debate.”

“Cool. Can I steal you for a bit then?”

“Sure.” Erwin gave a curt nod to his friends, and they began heading back to the entrance of the atrium. Hange and Petra scurried to Levi’s left, peeking around him to look at Erwin.

“So these are my moronic friends. Glasses is Hange, redhead is Petra. They wanted to meet you.”

“Yo, I’m Hange!”

“A-And I’m Petra!”

“I see,” Erwin said with a small smile. “I’ve heard a lot about you two. It’s nice to meet you.” He offered his hand as they walked, which Hange shook vigorously and Petra shyly.

“Sooooo, you’re Erwin Smith, huh? We’ve heard _things_ about you!” Hange said coyly. At that, Erwin’s smile faded, his eyes immediately shuttering. Alarm bells went off in Levi’s head.

“G-Good things, of course!” Petra exclaimed. “Like, um, uhh…well, Levi just told us like an hour ago that you guys started dating, so he hasn’t said much, but it’s obvious that he’s _totally_ smitten!”

Erwin perked up, his grin instantly reviving. “Really? You think so?”

Hange choked on their spit. Petra went tomato-red and nodded frantically. “Y-Yeah, he’s soooooooooo in lo—”

“Petra,” Levi growled. “Shut your trap. You can’t agree to everything he says just 'cause he's flashing you a smile.”

“B-B-But!”

“Do you not love me then?” Erwin whimpered, turning fake-dewy eyes on him.

Levi groaned loudly. "Oh my God, stop screwing around, you moron."

"So you don't lo—"

"No. Shut up. Now can we go get some food? I'm fucking starving." 

"I know a good place!" Hange shouted. 

Petra whooped. "Yess!! I'm always down for good food!" 

"I hope you don't mind me joining you," Erwin said sheepishly, scratching his face.

"Oh, no, of course not," Hange leered. "We have _so_ many of Levi's embarrassing secrets to tell you."

Levi rubbed his temples. It was going to be a long evening.

* * *

That night, Levi’s phone was killing itself from rapid-fire Facebook messenger notifications. He groaned, threw down his glasses, and flopped on his bed.

Conversation: Hange Zoe, Petra Ral, Levi Ackerman

Hange Zoe: levi where r u come chat with us bae

Petra Ral: probably studying? omgggggg erwin thoooooo mmmmmm

Hange Zoe: yo if i didnt love pussy so much id be into that

Petra Ral: ew hange

Hange Zoe: ur the last person whos allowed to judge me, ms bisexual

Petra Ral: for the last time, i am just open-minded!

Hange Zoe: u ho

Petra Ral: wow that’s so mean, apologize to all the bisexuals in the world!

Hange Zoe: well i didnt mean that they were all hos, just u

Petra Ral: I’M A VIRGIN.

Hange Zoe: whatevs who knows what goes on in that ho mind of urs

Petra Ral: OMG.

Levi Ackerman: will u two shut the fuck up im trying to study

Hange Zoe: uve studied enough its time for a break so hows our cutie huh

Levi Ackerman: im fab thx

Hange Zoe: i meant erwin u twink

Levi Ackerman: dafuq hes my cutie not “ours”

Hange Zoe: </3

Petra Ral: he’s nice! i think! i like him!

Levi Ackerman: duh

Hange Zoe: u just like him for that slammin bod, u ho

Petra Ral: THAT IS NOT TRUE. HE SEEMS VERY KIND.

Levi Ackerman: well i mean his pecs r yum indeed but its more than that

Levi Ackerman: oh u were talking to petra, ok.

Hange Zoe: u and ur tits fetish

Levi Ackerman: dont try to tell me u dont want to salivate over them pectoral muscles u shitter

Hange Zoe: lololol. yeah yeah whatevs. sooooo u like him for real for real?

Levi Ackerman: for real for real.

Petra Ral: he seems different from the rumours, for sure

Levi Ackerman: yeah u guys confused me with that

Hange Zoe: i dunno dont u think hes only nice to u?

Levi Ackerman: i guess hes pretty attached to me

Petra Ral: that’s true, did u see the way he lit up when he saw levi? gosh, i wish someone would look at me like that

Hange Zoe: pretty sure u got a buncha suitors but ur just a picky ho

Petra Ral: WOW, NO.

Hange Zoe: but anyway, he SEEMS decent

Levi Ackerman: whats with the capitals

Petra Ral: yeah he loosened up quite a bit after we started talking about middle school and high school levi. he seemed genuinely interested! and that was nice of him to treat us to dinner too. i don’t really see anything bad about him so far

Hange Zoe: i dunno, maybe im just paranoid

Petra Ral: ??

Levi Ackerman: spit it out, shitty glasses

Hange Zoe: rumours exist for a reason yanno

Petra Ral: ???

Levi Ackerman: yeah...like jealousy...?

Hange Zoe: ya but how baseless r rumours usually? not very. most of the time theyre the truth or some twisted version of the truth

Levi Ackerman: get to the point

Hange Zoe: all im sayin is that u should watch out for urself. who knows if hes putting on his cutesy act to get u to like him

Petra Ral: ????? but why would he???

Hange Zoe: i dunno i aint him

Levi Ackerman: k i get what ur trying to say. ill keep an eye out

Hange Zoe: good

Petra Ral: ?????? i dont get it but ok??? also this is belated but CONGRATULATIONS, LEVI

Hange Zoe: right right. congrats shorty

Levi Ackerman: thx

* * *

Levi put down the device, exhausted from the day’s drama. He had just crawled into bed, deciding to catch an early night’s sleep, when his phone buzzed with a text message.

The BF: Levi, are you still awake?

You: yeah whats up

The BF: Nothing, I just needed a break from studying. :(

You: o ok. i wasnt doing anything anyway so guess ill keep u company for a bit

The BF: Yay <3

The BF: By the way, guess what I changed your name to in my phone? ;)

You: knowing u.......prob something like levi bb

The BF: WOW, that was so close! Actually, it’s “Levi BB <3”

You: ur disgusting go away

The BF: Noo, Levi :(((

You: ew u dork y do i know u

The BF: What? :O But I’m so cool!

You: yeah cool sure. u didnt even know what emoticons were until i told u

The BF: Well, no one has ever sent me emoticons before you. D:

You: see what i mean even ur friends r lame. its a good thing ur hot

Levi smirked as he fired off that message and waited. Erwin always got embarrassed when Levi remarked on his looks. The man oozed sex appeal but had the innocence of a kid.

The reply came after a long pause. Levi immediately snatched up his phone, rolling to his other side.

The BF: Thanks, but I think you’re even more handsome.

Levi felt his face start burning. He threw his phone on the bed, where it bounced once, and glared at it. How dare the smexy idiot best him at his own game.

Then an idea struck him, and Levi shot up with an evil grin. God, was he a genius or what.

You: u wearing ur glasses right now?

The BF: Yup, why?

You: what else u wearing

The BF: A sweater that my grandmother knit for me and those sweatpants that you hate, the ones with the hole in the right knee.

Levi covered his face with both hands and tried not to just curl up and die at Erwin’s adorable naivety because that would not help with his plan. The moron was making this kind of hard, but Levi was not one to give up so easily.

You: mm arent u hot in all those clothes

The BF: Not really? My dorm is a little on the cold side.

Levi tsk’d. Maybe it was time to try a different tactic.

You: u know whenever u wear ur glasses i feel like tearing ur clothes off

The ensuing pause lasted five whole minutes. Levi snickered to himself.

The BF: No, I did not know that.

You: hmm well now u do

There was another suspicious pause, and then tentatively:

The BF: Levi, why were you asking what I was wearing?

Levi thanked the Gods for bestowing unto Levi his genius, and also for finally letting Blondie catch on.

You: ...no reason

The BF: Oh, God. Levi, are you...?

Levi actually laughed out loud at that.

You: ?

The BF: No, never mind.

You: ??

The BF: No, it’s nothing. Actually, it’s getting pretty late now, so I think I’m going to go shower and sleep.

Levi deflated. Guess his fun was over. 

You: ok gnite

You: wait before u go

The BF: Yes?

You: i just thought i should tell u

The BF: What is it?

You: i changed ur name in my phone too

The BF: Ooooh, into what? :))))

You: the bf

The BF: Awwww, Levi, really? :D

You: yeah. the big fuck. pretty original huh?

The BF: ...I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

You: y not both. now go sleep

The BF: All right, all right. :P I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Goodnight, Levi.

You: night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sure we all know why erwin had to suddenly go “shower”, eh? ehhh?? HA
> 
> hope y'all had as much fun as i did! every review is greatly appreciated <3


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello it is i, allow me to present to u moar relationship development
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to the first reviewers of this story: anon, nopuedo, Rooooooobert, lucykins14, and daddys!! Thank you so much. It's support from awesome people like you that keeps stories going! (At least for me. XD)
> 
> please enjoy <3

Levi had promised Hange he would be more wary of Erwin, because while Hange acted stupid most of the time, he knew by experience how valuable their wisdom was. And it was probably a good idea not to be excessively trusting of a person he’d known for only a few months anyway.

But after Levi had ruminated over the situation, he’d realized that he was going about it the wrong way. If, for instance, Erwin was truly some kind of a sociopath and had been playing Levi the entire time, then staying away from him would be counterproductive; how would Levi find out anything about the real Erwin if he kept distance between them, allowing Erwin to hypothetically lie with ease?

The only real solution Levi could think of was to stick close enough and long enough to Erwin that the latter got frustrated and dropped the act; leaving the situation as it was and simply waiting for Erwin to ‘fess up was a waste of time, and not the way Levi did things.

Not to mention, it would hurt a hell of a lot more if Levi found out later rather than sooner.

It wasn’t like he came up with this plan just because he wanted to see Erwin more often or whatever. He’d thought this through, okay? Shut up, sassy inner bitch.

* * *

With his mind made up, Levi had a long, peaceful night of rest. He woke with a clear head, finished his morning routine quickly, then packed a bag full of breakfast ingredients and other things he’d need.

“I’m going to Erwin’s,” he called out on the way to the front door.

“You coming back for dinner?” Kenny asked, poking his head out of the kitchen.

“I don’t know, I’ll text you or something.”

“Okay, have fun.”

“See ya.”

* * *

It was easy enough to hop on the bus that would take him directly to Erwin's dorms, but once he got there, Levi stood at the doorstep for a good five minutes, chewing his lip nervously because he’d never intruded on Erwin so early in the morning before. But he’d made up his mind, and he was here already. What was the worst that could happen, right? Wait a minute, wasn't that what white people in horror movies always said before they got brutally murdered? Oh, but Levi was only half-white, so he'd be fine. Okay.

He pressed the doorbell and braced himself. The silence from inside wasn’t helping him feel any less jittery, despite the clear skies and merrily chirping birds. Maybe Erwin wasn’t awake yet? Or maybe he wasn’t even home? Should he go kill time somewhere else and come back later? Levi shuffled from one foot to the other, about to ring the doorbell one last time, when he heard a thump.

“One moment please.”

Erwin was home. Levi’s heart leapt into his throat, but he schooled his features into his characteristic I-don’t-give-a-shit-about-you-I’m-just-here-‘cause-I’m-bored deadpan, because God forbid Erwin knew Levi actually kind of liked him. The door opened to reveal Erwin in a white wife-beater and heart-patterned boxers, which Levi would have made fun of if he wasn’t so distracted. Erwin’s stubble, bed hair, and hazy eyes made it obvious that he’d just climbed out of bed, but he looked shocked awake as soon as he saw who was there. “Levi!” he exclaimed, stepping closer and immediately wrapping himself around the small man. “What are you doing here?” he murmured into Levi’s freshly shampooed hair.

“Uh,” Levi muttered intelligently. But he couldn’t really be blamed for that because hot damn, his face was buried in Erwin’s hard chest, which smelled heavenly—like soap and fabric softener, with an undertone of something Levi could only describe as _man_. Naked, thickly muscled arms trapped him to that ripped body, and if Levi used his imagination, he could feel the heat of Erwin’s crotch on his lower stomach.

To Levi’s horror, he felt his dick twitch.

“I—” His voice cracked and he had to clear his throat, hoping it was muffled enough that Erwin didn’t notice. “I woke up early and thought I’d come. Over. Uh. Come over and make you breakfast, I mean.”

“Really? That’s so kind of you,” Erwin rumbled, squeezing Levi even more tightly.

“Y-You big fuck, I can’t breathe,” Levi choked out.

“Ah, sorry,” Erwin said abashedly, and let Levi go. “I was just happy to see you.” He flashed his killer smile as he shuffled away from the doorway, and Levi felt his mouth dry. Fuck it all, the moron was going to be the death of him. “Come in, come in.”

“Thanks,” Levi mumbled. “Sorry, maybe I should’ve texted or something first.”

“No, no,” Erwin said, latching the door behind him. “You’re always welcome here. In fact, feel free to come at whatever time. You’d never bother me.”

Levi watched Erwin’s face like a hawk even as his chest warmed at the words, but he could sense no sign of deceit. He sighed. “Okay.”

“Well, make yourself at home. I’m going to go clean myself up a bit.” Erwin disappeared towards the bathroom, stretching in a yawn. Levi’s eyes followed his ass. Clean himself up, huh? That probably included shaving and teeth-brushing. Maybe a shower? Hnng, yes, steaming water running all over that naked, lightly-haired bo—

Okay, enough. Breakfast. Levi was going to make breakfast. Damn, but he was thirsty. Who would’ve thought that his hormones actually worked after twenty-three years of apparent hibernation?

“Sure,” Levi croaked in response, several seconds too late.

By the time Erwin came out again, clean-shaven, hair still damp, and wearing actual clothes, Levi had talked his dick into mellowing out and made two large stacks of pancakes with scrambled eggs on the side. Strawberries, blueberries, and peach slices were arranged neatly on the plates, decorated with globs of whipped cream. Erwin stood there for a moment, speechless.

“The hell you zoning out for?” Levi said from the sink, where he was scrubbing one of the million tupperwares he’d brought. “Sit your ass down and eat before it gets cold.” Erwin padded over to the tiny dining table, obediently pulled out a chair, and sat. He peered at Levi’s side profile, looked down at the pancakes, and then back at Levi again. The shorter man could feel his burning gaze even without looking up, so he sighed and pulled off the handkerchief holding back his hair, turning to Erwin. “What are you doing?”

Erwin’s eyes drifted down to the yellow, pink-polka-dotted apron Levi was wearing. Shit, maybe he shouldn't have brought his apron. “That looks really good on you, for some strange reason,” Erwin remarked.

Levi glared. “Hange gave it to me,” he said flatly. “I don’t like bright colours. They’re gaudy. And I don’t like polka dots either, ‘cause they’re tacky, like you.”

“Aww, so that’s why you like me? Because I remind you of your favourite polka dots?”

Levi glared harder.

“Sit down and eat with me,” Erwin coaxed, patting the spot beside Levi’s plate.

“And leave these dishes just lying here? Yeah, no. That’s disgusting.”

“They’ll be fine. The food will get cold, like you said. I’ll help you wash the dishes right after we’re done eating, okay?” He pushed the other chair out from its tucked position with his feet, waggling his eyebrows. The ginormous caterpillars did Levi in, and he sighed again, hiding a smile as he rinsed off his soapy hands and untied his apron. Erwin grinned in triumph.

As soon as Levi was properly seated, the blond began digging in. His orgasmic faces were somewhat distracting, so Levi tried not to look for too long.

“Oh my God,” Erwin moaned. “This is the best breakfast I’ve had since I’ve moved here.”

Levi quirked an eyebrow, daintily cutting his pancake into six pieces. “I can tell, seeing as the only breakfast food I found was whole grain cereal.”

“Hey, don’t belittle my Cheerios,” Erwin said with his mouth full, waving his fork around. “They’re not as amazing as the food you cook, but they’re good on a normal day.” Levi snorted. “How did you get so good at making food anyway?”

Levi shrugged, spearing a strawberry. “I learned early on ‘cause my parents are always traveling for work. I eat a lot for someone my size, so I had to do something about it.”

“Oh,” Erwin said, chewing thoughtfully. “You live with your uncle, right?”

“Yeah, Kenny, and he can't cook for shit. Parents aren’t around as much as when I was a kid, but it’s no biggie. I had a happy childhood. They made sure of it.”

“That’s wonderful.” Erwin sounded like he meant it, which Levi appreciated, because a lot of people didn’t understand his family and pitied him for what they assumed was secretly a sad situation. Fuck it all, why was Erwin so perfect? Inner sassy bitch swooned.

“What about you, why’re you living in dorms?”

Erwin got a faraway look in his eyes, smiling wistfully. “My parents are back home in Nedlay, where I grew up. It’s far so I can’t visit as much as I’d like to, but I try to Skype them every weekend.”

“I see,” Levi said, a playful glint in his eyes. “A country bumpkin, huh? I should’ve known.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Erwin said, mock-frowning.

“It means that you’re a dork,” Levi replied soberly. “It’s in your roots. You can’t escape it.”

“Well, excuse you,” Erwin sniffed. “Not all country kids are dorks. How very rude.” The smudge of whipped cream smeared on his upper lip made Levi want to suck it off. It wasn't fair, that he had to suffer all this horniness alone. He smirked, deciding to fluster Erwin a little.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m a rude motherfucker,” he said smugly. “And you’re this rude motherfucker’s dork.”

Erwin stopped chewing, eyes round, reminding Levi of a kid who’d just been informed that no, he hadn’t been dreaming when he’d been given a puppy for his birthday. Levi wondered how many people Erwin had gone out with before, because shouldn’t reacting like this just from the suggestion that Erwin belonged to him be at least a little illegal?

“What?” Levi said nonchalantly, Erwin’s innocent reaction spurring him on. He wanted to discompose the man, guide his thoughts towards dirtier territory, watch his face glow timidly red. He wanted to revel in Erwin’s expression when the blond realized there was only a table and thin fabric separating him from his new boyfriend in this empty, silent apartment. “You gonna prove me wrong?” Levi picked up a slice of peach between his thumb and index finger, holding it up so Erwin couldn’t help but watch. He brought the fruit to his lips, parted them, and slowly sucked the juicy morsel into his mouth, chewing slowly before swallowing. As the final touch, he ran his wet tongue over the pads of his fingers.

The way Erwin’s Adam’s apple bobbed made Levi press his legs together. He stared into Erwin’s dilated pupils and felt himself leaning closer, tempted, tempted because this was not the blushing-virgin reaction he’d been expecting—

But then Erwin’s mouth opened as if he was about to say something, and Levi froze, suddenly coming back to himself. Embarrassment shot through him when he thought about what he’d just done.

“Um, bathroom,” he spluttered, and practically sprinted from the kitchen. Erwin didn’t say anything, his eyes following Levi the whole way.

Levi slammed the door behind him, taking deep breaths and trying to think of gross things, like dirt and cobwebs and Kenny’s wrinkly feet. With a sigh of relief as his semi slowly calmed, he toppled on to the toilet seat and fished his phone out of his pants.

Conversation: Hange Zoe, Petra Ral, Levi Ackerman

Levi Ackerman: yo bicthes i need adviec asap

Petra Ral: wow, this must be serious if you can’t even type properly anymore

Hange Zoe: wat i just woke wat

Levi Ackerman: so im at erwins

Petra Ral: this early in the morning??? OMG DID U STAY THE NIGHT??? DID U GUYS DO THE DO?????

Hange Zoe: HES AN EVIL BASTARD ISNT HE I KNEW IT I KNEW IT

Holy shit, Levi had completely forgotten that he was supposed to be thinking about that. Uh. Whoops.

Levi Ackerman: what no. to both questions

Petra Ral: awww too bad

Hange Zoe: oh pft wat the hell do u need advice about then

Levi Ackerman: i think im acting like a slut

Petra Ral: WHAT???

Hange Zoe: thats cuz u r. u can be ho buddies with petra

Levi Ackerman: shitty glasses i need u to srs mode

Hange Zoe: fine fine srs mode activated. wat do u mean slutty

Levi Ackerman: i dunno he makes me so fucking horny

Hange Zoe: HAHAHAHA

Petra Ral: HEY, I DONT BLAME U GURL

Levi Ackerman: thx. but yeah like all he did was fucking hug me at the door and i almost got a hard on. and then i actually did when we were eating and i said these stupid slutty things bc there was a bit of a mood and i wanted to watch him squirm but it backfired shit fuck

Petra Ral: omg r u okay???

Hange Zoe: did this just happen

L: y aim locked int he bathroom right now

Petra Ral: omgomgomg what did u do exactly???

Levi Ackerman: i sucked a peach

Hange Zoe: LOLOLOL

Petra Ral: im not really sure what that means?

Levi Ackerman: the literal meaning, petra.

Hange Zoe: LOLOOLOLLOLOLO

Petra Ral: uhh i don’t really understand but ok?

Hange Zoe: dude i dont get it y r u so worked up u guys r going out if u wanna fk him just fk him

Levi Ackerman: we havent even kissed yet

Hange Zoe: WAT

Petra Ral: really? u guys act like ur so close though

Levi Ackerman: weve hung out a lot but he only asked me out yesterday sooo havent done much

Hange Zoe: I REPEAT WAT

Petra Ral: ohh i see

Levi Ackerman: is it normal to be so horny around him. i am acting like a total whore but ive never even kissed anyone before, wat do i do

Petra Ral: this is coming from a fellow dating virgin but i think u should just do whatever feels right. feel free to take it slowly since this is ur first time. no shame in being attracted to ur other half (especially if it's erwin smith)!

Hange Zoe: petras right. and stop acting like a ho or he might get the wrong idea

Levi Ackerman: okok

Petra Ral: U CAN DO IT, LEVI! SENDING U TELEPATHIC SUPPORT WAVES

Levi Ackerman: ugh u corny. k i need to get off my phone now thx for being here

Levi inhaled until he couldn’t stuff any more air into his lungs, and then let it all out in a slow whoosh. He flushed the toilet to make it seem like he’d actually pissed or something, washed his hands, and nodded to himself in the mirror. All right. It was just Erwin out there. Nothing to be nervous about.

The door opened with a creak that made Levi flinch, but he forced his nerves to settle, and strode towards the kitchen with his head held high, chest puffed out. Erwin was still sitting at the dining table, awkwardly poking at his last pancake, his ears a little red. When he heard Levi approach, he peeked up, pupils (disappointingly) back to normal, and tested out a small smile.

He looked so cute, all shy but also very relieved for some reason, and Levi’s mind-to-mouth filter decided to take an unpaid vacation. “You’re so fucking attractive,” he blurted out.

Erwin’s jaw dropped a little, colour flooding his cheeks. “Uh...thank you...”

Levi decided to be honest then, because he didn’t know how long he could keep it all bottled up. He plopped down opposite Erwin and began eating as he spoke, since all this worrying was starting to make him hungry. “You’re hot and I want to jump your bones all the time. I always caught myself thinking you were sexy even before we started going out. But I've never jumped anyone before, and I don’t know how to, and it’s awkward because I’ve never even _wanted_ to jump anyone before. So I end up acting slutty.”

“Oh. I...see,” Erwin said, without intonation. Levi was too chicken to check his expression.

“Yeah. Uh. Sorry.”

But Erwin laughed, carefree and sounding very much pleased. Levi glanced up to see him grinning like a goof, chin cradled in his left hand as he watched Levi polish off his food. “What’s wrong with you today?” Erwin teased. “It’s not like you to keep apologizing, especially when you haven’t done anything wrong at all.”

Levi grunted. “I dunno. I’m new to this dating shit. Stop smiling like that, you’re freaking me out.”

“I’m sorry,” Erwin said, but his grin only widened. “I’m just happy that you think so much of me. It’s new for me as well to want someone to this extent, and to feel wanted back. I’m enjoying this feeling more than I would have expected.”

Levi felt tingly all over from Erwin's admission, so he scoffed to cover it up. “What are you talking about? You could get anyone you wanted. People are always drooling after you.”

“No, those other people are...it’s not like that,” Erwin said lowly, his tone suddenly dark. But then he perked up again, smiling fondly. “You’re different, Levi. I only want _your_ affection anyway.”

Levi coughed, choking on a blueberry he’d swallowed too hastily. “Oh my God, shut the fuck up, you embarrassment.”

Erwin’s resounding laughter made Levi crack a smile of his own.

* * *

After they finished eating, Erwin helped Levi collect the dishes like he’d promised. He dried while Levi washed, and they chatted about inane things like how Erwin’s hair stayed in place with little to no product, and how Levi’s father was “super fucking tall” while his mother was “super fucking short”.

“You’ve got your mother’s height,” Erwin smirked. Levi punched him in the arm.

“And you’ve got the stiff hair and slow-ass body of a sloth,” he snarked back. But when he reached up with wet hands to test out his theory, he found hair as soft as a duckling’s down. How fair was that?

When they finished wiping down the table and stacking the clean tupperwares on the counter for Levi to take home later, Erwin asked if Levi was free for the rest of the day. Levi replied yes, much to Erwin’s enthusiasm, and that was how the former ended up agreeing to accompany Erwin to his practice hearing later that afternoon.

Since it was approaching the end of Erwin’s final year in law school, he had just one more assignment to complete: the last and most heavily weighted examination. Each person was randomly assigned a fabricated situation in which they were to choose to side with the plaintiff or defendant. Members of the faculty role-played as witnesses, juries, judges, and all other individuals involved in the case, and made up the panel that would be marking the student’s performance. After months of evidence collection, witness interviews, and practice hearings, the students then signed up for a time slot during exam week to carry out the trial.

Today would be the last of Erwin’s mock hearings, and his actual trial would be taking place in three weeks. Levi had learned that the trial was graded based on a pass or fail policy—and if a student failed the trial, their graduation concession would be denied until they passed the re-examination, which took place, at its earliest, at the end of the following semester.

To put it simply, the trial was a huge fucking deal. Levi could feel his gut knotting even just thinking about it, but Erwin didn’t look the least bit anxious as he sifted through his closet for a suit.

“Aren’t you nervous?” Levi asked from his seat on the bed, legs dangling.

“Well, yes,” Erwin’s muffled voice came. He was probably looking for the clothes iron he’d stuffed in the back weeks ago. Sometimes, Levi felt like he knew better than Erwin where all his stuff was. “But I’ve had a couple practice hearings already. I expect I will be quite nervous for the actual trial.”

Levi hummed. “So what’s your case, anyway?”

“A woman demanded half of her husband’s monetary worth in a divorce. He refused, so she’s taking the issue to court.”

“Oh. She a gold-digger?”

“No, her husband committed adultery.”

“Huh,” Levi said thoughtfully. “Then I guess it’s an easy case to handle, yeah? I mean, if you have evidence of the cheating, you can get pretty much anything you want.”

“In most cases, yes.”

“You _did_ choose to side with the chick, right?”

“No,” Erwin said. He closed the closet door and faced Levi, suit draped over one arm and clothes iron in the other. “I am defending the husband.”

A familiar wariness crawled in Levi’s chest, the extent of his own distress surprising him. His lips pressed together. “Why? You the type to think that everyone cheats at least once in their lifetime or something?”

Erwin drew back, stunned. “No, Levi. I personally condemn all acts of adultery. I just think that there is always another side to the story, and that the man should get a chance to voice it. It’s nothing more.”

Levi didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he nodded slowly. “I guess that’s true.”

“And besides, this will be good practice. I’m sure there will be many difficult cases in the future, where good and bad are not so clear-cut.”

“Yeah, you have a point.”

Levi wrestled with his thoughts for a quiet minute while Erwin treaded to his dresser to pull out a shirt. He dumped it unceremoniously on the ironing board, tugging at the material helplessly to try to straighten it, then planted the iron smack-dab in the middle of a sleeve. His struggling was distracting enough that Levi was torn from his deliberation.

“...Erwin, what are you doing to that shirt?” he asked, squinting.

“I’m ironing it,” Erwin said in a 'duh' way. “I can do this. I’ve done it before.”

“You’re supposed to start at the collar.”

“That’s all right,” the blond said stubbornly. “The steps don’t matter as long as it ends up straight.”

“Oh my God, you nincompoop, I’ll show you how to do it properly.”

* * *

Half an hour later, Erwin was happily cleaned up in his crisp white shirt and navy blue suit. After deciding to leave all of Levi's stuff at Erwin's to pick up later, they hopped on the shuttle to head to the law building. Given that it was the weekend, the small bus was nearly empty, so they were able to snag the coveted corner seats at the back, sitting so close together their thighs were pressed to one another's. On the way, Levi played with Erwin’s super pro-looking briefcase, clasping and unclasping the buckle with an utterly contented look on his face, much to Erwin’s amusement.

It was a short walk to the building after they got off the bus. But the closer they got to the courtroom, the straighter Erwin’s back became, shoulders pushing back, expression freezing into a stoic mask. Levi could almost feel the tension radiating off of him.

“Erwin?”

The blond started, as if he’d forgotten that Levi was there. He looked down, face softer. “Hm?”

“You doin’ okay?”

Erwin’s gaze was acute, unwavering and intelligent. “Yes. Why?”

Levi stared at him, then sighed and averted his eyes. “...Nah,” he muttered, sticking his hands in his pockets. “It’s nothing.”

Erwin stopped in front of a pair of towering mahogany doors and turned to Levi, his forehead all scrunched up. “Levi, what’s wrong?” Sometimes, Levi resented his perceptiveness. Now he’d made Erwin worry, and this was not the time. He forced himself to relax, sealing up his mental box of worries for the moment, his shoulder muscles loosening.

“Seriously, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it. You should be focusing on your trial.” Erwin looked as if he was about to protest, but Levi cut him off, brushing imaginary lint off the taller man’s chest and straightening his tie. “So is this the place?”

“...Yes.”

“Go get ‘em then, you giant dolt. I’ll be in the audience, cheering for you to kick their asses so hard they won’t be able to shit for weeks.”

Erwin’s eyebrows shot up, the corners of his mouth twitching. “That doesn’t sound very healthy.”

“Well, no shit, that’s kind of the point. Pun intended.”

Erwin was snickering, unable to help himself, when the doors suddenly groaned open from the inside to reveal a petite brunette with eyes the colour of a grassy meadow on a sunny afternoon. Her severe hair bun and sharp black suit contrasted with the roundness of her cheeks. Levi felt Erwin stiffen beside him.

“Oh, there you are,” she said, voice quiet even in the silence of the hallway. Her smile wasn’t the guileless beam Levi would have expected from her features; it was tentative and sweet, the barest upward inclination of plump lips.

“Marie,” Erwin said, all mirth gone.

“Um, are you about ready to start?” Her gaze darted over to Levi then back. “We’re just waiting for Professor Dot now.”

“Yes. I will be right in.”

“Okay. I’ll, uh, let them know.” She disappeared back into the courtroom.

“Who was that?” Levi asked. “Looked like a kid.”

“No, she’s a student in the faculty. Volunteering to help run the hearings, probably.” Erwin suddenly sounded tired, the bags under his eyes seeming to deepen. “I did not know she would be here today.”

"...I'm guessing you aren't friends."

"Not quite," Erwin said, rubbing a hand over his face.

Levi didn’t know why the girl was an apparent cause of stress for Erwin, but his dear boyfriend looked like he was in crucial need of comfort, and Levi was tired of feeling helpless. So he decided to do something uncharacteristic. “You know, I learned something from one of my boring-ass lectures the other day.”

“What was it?” Erwin asked, humouring him even now.

“Apparently, prolonged hugs release oxytocin, which is the neurotransmitter that makes us feel happy.”

Erwin stared unblinkingly at him for a long second, before his furrowed brow smoothed in realization, eyes widening. “Is that so,” he said slowly.

Levi jutted his chin out, smirking, but his hands were a little sweaty inside his pockets. “It is so.”

“Well,” Erwin said lightly, taking a step closer. “I must say that I’m in dire need of some oxytocin right this instant. You’ll help, won’t you?”

Levi huffed, took a quick look around the vacant hall, and then stood on his toes to loop his arms around Erwin’s neck. The blond immediately pressed close, gripping Levi so tightly that the shorter man could feel himself nearly being lifted off the floor.

“Fucking sap,” he breathed.

“Only as much as you are,” Erwin whispered back, mouth curving against Levi’s hair.

* * *

The clock tower outside chimed five times, its baritone ring reverberating in Levi’s bones, but he ignored it. He sat tall in his seat, arms crossed, leaning forward to catch every word. They had already been there for two hours, but the back-and-forth that had taken off immediately after introductory formalities had been exchanged hadn't allowed Levi a second of respite. He didn’t understand how this whole court thing worked, all the jargon about section blah of code whatever going in one ear and out the other, but it was obvious even to him that Erwin was destroying the prosecution. His concise yet thorough analysis of the relationship between husband and wife gave a spin to the situation, a new perspective that had the jury hissing amongst itself. The faculty member role-playing the prosecuting lawyer for this hearing was attempting to keep a poker face, but Levi caught his jaw flexing more than once.

And Erwin was...he was magnificent. Confident, but not cocky. He commanded the attention of every person there with his clipped, powerful statements, leaving no room for the prosecution to argue. Volunteers who had looked bored and impatient when they’d entered the room were now watching the proceedings with the eyes of a hawk.

Finally, the judge slammed down his gavel, ending the hearing. The verdict: husband owed ex-wife nothing. The polite applause that followed reminded Levi that this had all been a performance, of sorts.

It was only then that he realized how impressive Erwin was. He could see how the rumours had taken flight from the iciness of Erwin’s blue eyes, the aloof way he had spoken, as if he didn’t particularly care to win for his client, but was merely stating a neutral truth.

Yes, Erwin was certainly remarkable...

But he was a little frightening, too.

* * *

He was shaking hands with faculty members, greeting the last of them, when Levi hopped down from the elevated audience platform.

“Nice job."

Erwin turned, finally breathing with ease as all remaining personnel trickled outside. “Thank you. But it will be a different panel of judges for the actual trial, so who knows how that will go.”

Levi scoffed, crossing his arms. “You’ll be fine. You may be an idiot most of the time, but you can be smart on the rare occasion.”

“Gee, thanks,” Erwin said with a cheeky grin. Its appearance struck Levi with guilty relief—he’d only ever seen Erwin smile like that to him; it was a comfort after those two hours, something belonging exclusively to Levi. “What would you like to do now? Maybe an early dinner? I’ve gotten quite hungry after all that.”

“Sure.” Maybe some Chinese food and a cliché action movie would help him better digest the afternoon.

They were heading towards the door when it suddenly opened again. A figure poked her head inside, and Levi scowled when he saw who it was. He’d termed her Lady Bitch in his mind, because anyone who made Erwin freeze up like that had to be a bitch.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Were you about to leave, Erwin?” Marie asked, standing in the doorway.

“Yes,” Erwin said.

“Ah, I see. Um, with your friend here?”

“Levi,” the dark-haired man interjected. “My name is Levi.” He stepped forward as if to shake her hand, but only did it to block at least part of Erwin from Marie’s sight. His arms remained resolutely crossed at his chest.

“Nice to meet you,” Marie said, looking genuinely pleased. Wow, Lady Bitch was either a really good fucking actress, or...nice. For some reason, the second option pissed Levi off more.

“Did you need me for something, Marie?”

“Oh. Um, it’s nothing important,” she said, fiddling with the cuff of her blazer. Her eyes were fixed on Erwin’s shiny black shoes. “I just wanted to say that you were amazing in the hearing.”

Erwin’s expression didn’t change. “Thank you.” She glanced up, smiling. Levi waited for Erwin to say something more, but he didn’t, and as the silence stretched, the hope began to melt from Marie’s face. Her shoulders fell. Her lips remained pressed into a smile, but her nose and the rims of her eyes started to redden. Levi swallowed, shooting a surreptitious look up at Erwin, but the blond was utterly unmoved.

“I guess I’ll...see you around then?” Marie said, her normally quiet voice almost inaudible.

“Perhaps.”

“Right.” She nodded. “Sorry, I’ll get out of your way now.” And she stepped aside, holding the door open. Erwin nodded curtly, gesturing for Levi to go ahead.

“Thanks,” Levi muttered as he passed her, but she didn’t show any signs of hearing, her gaze trained on the floor. He waited for Erwin to fall into step beside him, and they walked away, Erwin without a second glance back. But Levi couldn’t resist, and peeked over his shoulder.

He would remember her small, shaking form, the glint of wetness on the ground by her feet, for many days to come.

* * *

They ordered Chinese on the phone and picked it up on the way back to Erwin’s dorm. Levi decided not to pester Erwin about Marie since the blond looked pretty tuckered out and in need of some serious cuddling. Which Levi pretended to hate but secretly loved. So they ended up torrenting Captain America 2 (because although Levi wanted to support the career of Chris Evans’s amazing pecs, who rented DVDs anymore? Like, where was he even supposed to go to rent a DVD?) and watching it on Erwin’s small TV in the living room as they wolfed down sweet-and-sour pork.

“He’s so fucking hot,” Levi moaned for what must have been the tenth time. “Oh my God, that face. Those pecs. That... _sense of justice_. Mmmph, I want to rub myself all over him.”

While Erwin had humoured him the first ten times with amused “I thought you said your hormones didn't work properly”, “Yeah, his muscles are really impressive”, and “Wow, your fantasies are quite vivid”, he didn’t say anything this time, instead staring blankly at the screen.

“What?” Levi nudged him with his pointy elbow. “You look a little constipated.”

“It's nothing.”

“What's wrong, Erwin?” He sidled up closer so that the entire right side of his body was pasted to the taller man. “C’mon, if you keep it all bottled up you'll actually get constipation.”

Erwin sighed, fingers drumming on the sofa arm. “I was just thinking that you really like Captain America.”

“Well, yeah,” Levi said matter-of-factly. “What’s not to like?”

Silence.

Levi was struck with a jolt of realization. “...Erwin, are you jealous?”

He felt the twitch all the way up his arm.

“No,” Erwin said, voice a fraction higher than normal. “I just find it interesting that you would like a fictional character so much.”

Levi’s mouth dropped open. “Holy shit, you’re sulking right now.”

“I am not,” Erwin said, very obviously frowning.

“Oh my fucking god, you are sulking so hard!” Levi crowed, slapping his thigh in laughter. He could almost hear Erwin pout. “You know, I like him because he’s so similar to you.”

“Are you sure it’s not me who’s similar to him?” Erwin muttered, turning away.

Levi had to gnaw on his lip to keep his face from splitting into a huge smile. “You’re such a moron. I like you more, so obviously he’s the one who’s similar to you here.”

Erwin looked like he’d just been socked in the gut by The Hulk. “You like me more than you like Captain America?”

“Please," Levi said, dragging out the word. "I wouldn’t dump you even if Captain America came _begging_ for me.”

“You’re lying,” Erwin said, his eyes huge and blue, his cheeks lifting in a grin.

“When have I ever lied to you?” Levi asked, stretching out on the couch. He slithered an arm behind Erwin’s shoulders, as cheesily as he could manage, and threw on his best leer. “You’ve both got the pecs, but your ass is a solid ten, my dear bf.”

Erwin squeezed his lips together, trying to hold in the laughter, his eyes rolling up to the ceiling. “God, Levi, you are absolutely vulgar.”

“You love it,” Levi said with a sassy flip of his bangs. Damn, he was fabulous. Erwin finally couldn’t hold it in at that and broke out in chuckles. He looked more laid-back than he had in hours, and Levi gave himself a mental pat on the back.

Just then, his phone rang with a notification. He reluctantly unwrapped himself from Erwin and leaned over to grab it from the table.

Conversation: Hange Zoe, Petra Ral, Levi Ackerman

Hange Zoe: ayyy hows the date goin

Petra Ral: omg i’ve been procrastinating all day just thinking about it, i need updates

Levi Ackerman: its good. chinese and cap america at his place

Hange Zoe: nooiiice

Petra Ral: holy cow, this just occurred to me, but doesn’t erwin kind of look like captain america?

Hange Zoe: oh shit ur right

Levi Ackerman: yeah. i kept gushing bout how hot cap was and bae got jealous

Hange Zoe: AAAAHAHHAHAHA

Petra Ral: AWWWW, THAT’S SO CUTE

Levi snorted. Erwin glanced away from where Captain America was screaming valiantly at Bucky. “What’s so funny?”

“Petra said it’s cute that you got jealous.”

“I was not jealous!”

“Yeah, okay.”

Levi Ackerman: ya it was pretty fucking cute

Hange Zoe: so did u guys just roll around at home all day

Petra Ral: OMG LIKE ON THE BED???

Hange Zoe: damn calm ur tits ho

Petra Ral: THEY ARE CALM

Levi Ackerman: no we were at campus for a while cuz he had a practice hearing

Hange Zoe: how was it

Petra Ral: ive heard horror stories about those

Levi Ackerman: it went fine. pretty sure he’ll ace the real thing

Hange Zoe: as expected

Petra Ral: thats wonderful!

Levi’s fingers hovered over the keys as he wondered whether he should tell them about Marie. It was odd, wasn’t it, Erwin and Marie’s relationship?

Levi Ackerman: there was this girl tho at the hearing

Petra Ral: ???

Levi Ackerman: i dunno how to describe it but it was weird

Hange Zoe: wat u fall in love with her at first sight or sumthin

Petra Ral: ?!!

Levi Ackerman: that was a bad joke and u should feel bad

Hange Zoe: sry not sry

Levi Ackerman: she seemed nice but erwin went all arctic freeze on her

Petra Ral: what happened???

Levi Ackerman: nothing. they met by chance, she said hi, erwin finished the thing, she said nice work, we left but when i looked back she was crying

Hange Zoe: oh my fking gpd levi u r such an idiot

Petra Ral: ????

Levi Ackerman: what

Hange Zoe: shes his ex holy shit read the signs

Levi stared at his phone in dawning horror as the pieces fell together, his ears ringing. There was a sudden pulsing behind his eyes, and his rib cage suddenly felt too small.

Of course. It made sense that Erwin had an ex or two. That didn’t particularly bother Levi, since what was in the past was in the past, and Erwin didn’t seem like the type to have lingering feelings for his exes. What bothered him was how cold Erwin had been; what had Marie done to the Erwin who was so loving, so soft towards Levi, that made the blond not even want to look at her?

If Levi one day made a mistake, would Erwin treat him the way he treated her?

The messages were still popping up on his phone. He bit his lip and forced himself to focus.

Petra Ral: OH NO I THINK U MIGHT BE RIGHT??

Hange Zoe: levi?

Petra Ral: uh oh

Hange Zoe: he isnt responding

Petra Ral: oh no, is he in shock?? levi?

Hange Zoe: fk maybe i shouldve said that more delicately

Petra Ral: yeah, levi’s actually pretty sensitive D: be nicer next time

Hange Zoe: sigh yeah

Levi Ackerman: wtf

Petra Ral: LEVI

Hange Zoe: yo u ok

Levi Ackerman: im fine. also i am not SENSITIVE. listen im gonna go talk to him about this cuz if i dont itll bother me

Hange Zoe: all right thats a good idea

Petra Ral: yeah u don’t want to let this get in the way of your relationship! good luck!!

Levi Ackerman: thx cya

Levi placed his phone back on the table and carefully sat back against the couch. “Erwin,” he said calmly.

“Hmm?”

“I don’t want to be a bitch about your past, but I’m going to ask because it’s bothering me.” Erwin turned to him, eyebrows drawn together. “Is Marie your ex?”

The way the air around Erwin immediately seemed to die, the way his body tensed and jaw clenched, made the same fear Levi had felt during the hearing claw at his stomach.

“Who told you?” Erwin said quietly. His hands were clasped so tightly in his lap that there was whiteness around the indentations made by his fingers.

“No one,” Levi said, too loudly. “It just seemed that way to me.”

“It...seemed that way to you?” Erwin murmured. “How?”

“You went polar bear mode on her.” It probably wasn’t a good time to inject humour in the conversation, but he’d be damned if he let his voice shake.

“Polar bear mode?” The wrinkles between Erwin’s eyebrows deepened.

Levi took a quick breath. “You were cold to her, Erwin. So cold that you made her cry. Or did you not notice?”

Erwin didn’t respond, giving Levi his answer.

“Look,” he said, scooting closer. “I’m not being jealous or whatever here. Fuck, I’m asking because if she’s your ex, then she’s not your girlfriend anymore—she became your ex for a reason. She seemed nice. Or at least I thought so. I—do you—do you understand what I’m getting at?”

Erwin stared him down through a narrowed gaze, a muscle in his neck jumping. Then he closed his eyes, took a long breath, and slowly opened them again. His hands stayed clasped in his lap, but Levi could see the gaps between his fingers now.

“To answer your original question: yes, Marie and I used to date.”

“Okay. I’m guessing you guys went down the shitter.”

“We did,” Erwin said.

Levi paused the movie and waited.

Erwin sighed through his nose. “This will probably be a long story.”

“Hey, I got time. Saturday evenings are meant to be late anyway, you know?” He burrowed into the arm of the couch, slouching and making a show of getting comfortable, arms crossed.

Erwin didn’t smile. “All right.” He leaned back as well, head pillowed against the back of the couch. “We met in high school at the annual Sports Festival. I was in football, she was in cheerleading.” Levi rolled his eyes. “Yeah, it was that same old, overused trope. We hit it off but didn’t start going out until our last year. We were both in the advanced program that allowed us to skip a couple grades, so we got into Sina Uni at the same time. It was hard, balancing all our work and seeing each other at the same time, since we were both aiming for law, but we did it. We studied together whenever possible, quizzed each other, made problem sets and everything, and then when we were too exhausted to do any more, we’d collapse on the floor and order pizza. I remember feeling like it was the best day of my life when we received our acceptance letters.

“We’d been dating for four years—it was our first year in law—when I decided to surprise her at her dorm one day. I was about to knock on her front door when I heard her yelling at someone inside. I still remember her exact words. They echoed in my mind because she never, ever raised her voice. ‘I’ve got him under control, dad,’ she said. ‘I didn’t think it would be so easy to wrap him around my little finger, but he’s so much denser than I imagined. Don’t worry, dad, I will drag him into this family if it’s the last thing I do.’”

Levi was sitting straight, eyes wide. He dared not breathe too loudly, for fear that Erwin would clam up.

Erwin barked out a self-deprecating laugh that made Levi’s nose sting. “Apparently, her dad had been trying for years to get in a partnership with my father. When he found out that Marie and I went to the same school, he convinced Marie to get close to me, figuring that would help his chances. She agreed, because she wanted to make her father proud. And she succeeded. Oh, did she succeed.”

The sting in Levi’s nose was starting to become a cause for concern, so he quickly bit out, “Did you just stand there and listen like an idiot?”

Erwin blinked up at the ceiling. “No. I banged on the door. When it opened and she saw my face, she immediately burst into tears and fell to her knees, begging me to believe that she was only trying to placate her father. She said she’d fallen in love with me long ago.”

Through the lump in his throat, Levi whispered, “I believe her.”

Erwin smiled sadly. “So did I. But our trust was already broken. I couldn’t stay in that relationship and wonder every day how much of it was a lie, wonder how many times she’d told me she loved me without seeing me.”

Levi’s eyes pricked, his heart hammering, and every cell in his body was screaming at him not to do it because _what good would it do_ , but he asked, “Did you love her?”

Erwin paused. Levi looked up, swallowing his fear. Erwin turned to him, his smile bittersweet. “I think I did.”

Levi didn't know why, but that answer lifted a weight from his shoulders as much as it made his heart ache.

* * *

It sucked to hear about Erwin being with someone else, but Levi was glad that Erwin trusted him enough to be so open. He was determined not to let something he couldn’t change bother him, so he cheered himself right back up, unpaused the movie, and was making R-rated comments about Chris Evans's smoking bod within minutes. Erwin’s responses were subdued for the rest of the night, but after walking Levi home, he clutched the dark-haired man to him in the longest and warmest hug Levi had ever received, before kissing him gently on the cheek. Levi thought it was good progress for their second official day of going out.

Later, when he was rolling around in bed, he updated Hange and Petra on the rest of the evening, leaving not a detail out since he always told them everything. If he was being one-hundred-percent honest, he did it for the comfort that their unconditional support would bring as well.

Petra Ral: levi do u wanna skype right now?? i want to see ur face and hear ur voice and make sure ur okay

Hange Zoe: ya man im already setting up my webcam

Levi Ackerman: i appreciate it u shitters but im in bed and too lazy to get up to turn on the lights

Petra Ral: aww ok, well if ur sure

Hange Zoe: damn i kinda wanted to see u cry

Levi Ackerman: fuck off

Petra Ral: but hey, u know there’s a bright side to this!

Hange Zoe: here comes little ms angel

Levi Ackerman: what

Petra Ral: well, she did something horrible to erwin, right? that means that he’s cold to her for a very good reason. he’s not just some jerk acting mean towards an ex girlfriend!

Levi Ackerman: true

Hange Zoe: the ho’s right

Petra Ral: HEY

Hange Zoe: it also means that theres a possibility hes acting that way bc he knows she still has feelings for him and he doesnt want to lead her on

Petra Ral: good point, good point

Levi Ackerman: yeah ur right

Hange Zoe: ya we’re so fking smart

Petra Ral: YAYY

Levi Ackerman: ugh but i hate u both

Petra Ral: NOOO HOW CAN U SAY THAT WHEN U LOVE US SO MUCH THAT WE WORRY SOMETIMES

Hange Zoe: LOVE US LIKE GOLLUM LOVES HIS PRECIOUS U DO

Levi Ackerman: omfg gtfo

After ranting to Hange and Petra, Levi was feeling much lighter. He decided to shoot off a text to Erwin, too.

You: yo big fuck u awake

The BF: Why, hello to you too, Levi. :)

You: since im in a good mood ill teach u something useful

The BF: What is it? :O

You: xoxo. now goodnight.

The BF: What?

The BF: Levi? I don’t get it!

You: google it u moron. night. xoxo

The BF: ????

The BF: All right, all right, I’ll Google it.

The BF: Aww!!

The BF: Levi, that’s so sweet!

The BF: Are you actually sleeping? D:

The BF: Okay, I’ll leave you to sleep, then. Goodnight, Levi. I had a truly wonderful time today. Sweet dreams! xoxoxoxoxoxo

* * *

The next morning, as soon as Levi’s mind was working like an actual human being, he snatched his phone from the bedside table. Following the block of texts from last night was another from The BF, sent at 8:46 am: “Good morning, Levi. Sad that you’re not the first thing I see this morning. :( Missing your bathroom jokes already. xoxoxo”

Levi flopped over and screamed with his mouth closed into his pillow, arms and legs flailing in the covers.

Yeah, they’d be fine. They’d be just fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i finally have more of an idea where this story is going praise me senpai. also i will try to keep the tags to a minimum despite my longing to keep adding to them
> 
> all comments are appreciated!!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have a feeling this story is gonna get pornier. whoops. but it'll still be fluffy, and drama is just on the horizon.

In hindsight, it probably hadn’t been Levi’s best idea ever to go on a date with only a week left before his first final. But honestly, if you were given the choice between spending the day with your nose buried in your sexy boyfriend’s chest versus in a glossy picture of an unattractive guy's fleshless ribs from your anatomy textbook...yeah, that wasn’t even a real choice. You can see where Levi was coming from.

Nevertheless, if he didn’t cram like his ass was on fire and only a torrential burst of straight-from-the-fire-hydrant knowledge would douse said fire, then he would fail. And not graduate this semester. Which would suck.

What also sucked was how he couldn’t even hang out with Erwin as he studied, because the downside to having a big fuck of a boyfriend was that his oozing manliness would force you to cheat on your textbook. #hotpeopleproblems

And so Levi settled for spamming people from his phone whenever he felt like he could afford to procrastinate for a few minutes.

Conversation: Hange Zoe, Petra Ral, Levi Ackerman

Levi Ackerman: bored

Petra Ral: me too! :(

Hange Zoe: wat ur blond hunk too busy to entertain u or sumthin

Levi Ackerman: other way around bitch. his exams are done, its just his trial left

Petra Ral: are u just chilling at home then?

Levi Ackerman: yeah

Hange Zoe: y rnt u at his place

Levi Ackerman: too distracting, cant study there

Petra Ral: awwww, u guys just want to cuddle all day

Hange Zoe: no petra hes talking bout the blue balls he’d get from being around commander handsome all day

Petra Ral: OHHH, I SEE. well that is understandable

Levi Ackerman: since when was he commander

Hange Zoe: i dunno doesnt he seem like one

Petra Ral: commander of what, though??

Hange Zoe: i dunno special ops maybe

Levi Ackerman: dont think they use commander as a rank

Hange Zoe: dude like where is ur imagination. think about it that uniform plastered to his body. ud be his subordinate captain levi having an illicit relationship with him

Levi Ackerman: .....

Petra Ral: ooOOO SCANDALOUS~~

All right, to be honest, that was kind of hot. Commander Smith, huh? Levi closed his eyes. Yes, he could imagine it. Whenever the stress piled up, Erwin would grab him and throw him over the commander’s desk, fuck him flat into it as Levi moaned like a slut for his gigantic cock...shit, he was going to get hard if he kept thinking about this. Was it just him or was he getting hornier by the day?

Levi Ackerman: goddammit hange

Hange Zoe: plz bae i know u so well i can guess all ur kinks. btw u talk in ur sleep sometimes

Levi Ackerman: fuck

Petra Ral: erwin seems more like the type to do it slowly and thoroughly though, doesn’t he? like, not like a commander, but the kind where he lets u take control but u end up suffocating from his fluffy love anyway

Levi Ackerman: hmm yeah

Hange Zoe: ya ur right i cant imagine him being rough with levi

Petra Ral: yeah, he looks at levi with puppy dog eyes!

Levi Ackerman: u two arent helping with my frustration right now

Hange Zoe: sorry were u using us as distractions not to text erwin HA u r so sad u spent all of yesterday with him already

Levi Ackerman: omg shut the fuck up

Petra Ral: oh did u need a distraction? u should’ve said so earlier! wanna hear about the cute guy i met the other day?

Levi Ackerman: key words cute guy have caught my interest

Hange Zoe: OOO juicy ho stories

Petra Ral: WOW, NOT COOL. okay, so i was at starbucks a few days ago

Hange Zoe: u are such a white girl

Petra Ral: THAT’S BECAUSE I AM. anyway, i was waiting for them to make my drink, but then the guy in front of me turned around too fast and spilt his frap down my shirt

Hange Zoe: omfg he so did that on purpose

Levi Ackerman: did u slap him

Petra Ral: nope. should i have? is that what you're supposed to do? i didn't because he was extremely apologetic about it. he got so nervous that he kept biting his tongue and it made this really loud splat sound every time

Levi Ackerman: ...nasty

Hange Zoe: was he cute

Petra Ral: ehh average, i guess? he was really nice though, offered to pay for the cleaning fee and everything. we’re going on a date after finals!

Hange Zoe: NO WAY

Levi Ackerman: damn girl good going

Hange Zoe: congrats on the pre-sex

Petra Ral: thanks but it’s only a first date, so we’re just going with the flow for now

Hange Zoe: hopefully hes not an awkward douche

Levi Ackerman: let us know how it goes

Petra Ral: will do!

* * *

When he finally couldn’t resist any longer, Levi sent a text to Erwin.

You: commander

The BF: Levi! :) Who’s a commander?

You: u

The BF: I’m a commander?

You: yeah sexy uniform and everything

The BF: Haha, I’m not quite sure what’s going on here, but can I assume that this is your way of telling me you miss me? ;D

You: who the fuck would miss u, u huge waste of space. so wat are u up to

The BF: I’ll take that as a “yes, Erwin, I want to see you right this moment but I can’t so I’ll have to settle for being mean”. <3 Not much, I’m just studying in advance for the bar exam.

You: whatever. o ew boring. isnt it months away

The BF: Yeah. :( But I don’t have much to do anyway, so I thought that I might as well get a head start. By the way, when are your exams over?

You: may 20

The BF: So that’s the Friday ten days from now, right?

You: ya

The BF: Are you free on the 21st, then?

You: probs. why

The BF: How about another date? I’ll be needing at least another full dose of Levi by then. xoxo I feel like it’s already been too long.

Levi groaned, sprawling on his desk, rubbing his cheek on the smooth wood. He waaanted to see Errrwiiiin, dammiiiiitt.

You: ok

The BF: Great! :D I’m looking forward to it.

He rolled his bottom lip between his teeth before deciding to concede. Fuck, he was getting soft.

You: me2

The BF: xoxoxoxoxoxoxo All right, I suppose I should let you get back to studying.

You: yeah. ill spam u if i feel like im dying

The BF: Of course. Have fun studying, darling. ;)))

You: ugh i hate u

The BF: <3

* * *

The next couple of days were the most sluggish, torturous days Levi could remember living in all of his twenty-three years. He had never had to exercise such self-restraint before; Erwin’s place was walking distance away, and several times Levi found himself standing at his closed front door, gritting his teeth to talk himself into not going. He considered meditation, but that wasn’t really his thing, so he tried to recite mantras to himself instead between study sessions: distance makes the heart grow fonder; the longer the wait, the sweeter the reunion. Er. There were probably more idioms out there, but Levi had never been great with words.

Since he knew skyping or phoning Erwin would just make his pathetic pining even more unbearable, he kept their contact to text messaging only. He’d always thought Facebook messaging was a convenient form of communication, but Erwin didn’t use Facebook much, and Levi found that he didn’t mind. There was something more intimate about text messages, an exchange between phone numbers, which no one asked you for anymore unless you were close to them. And text messages were accessible almost anywhere, even without a fucking expensive data plan or spotty WiFi connection. So yeah, texting Erwin became second nature to him.

Levi got through the first week, those first days always the hardest, before deciding he needed some fresh air or at least a change of scenery. That, and their fridge was almost empty—he needed to be cramming, but he also needed sustenance to stay alive during this period of extreme turmoil.

He was at the campus grocery store, sorting through the two-litre skim milk cartons for one with a later expiry date, when a tall man in a soft-looking t-shirt and sweatpants caught his eye.

Levi’s breath hitched. He didn’t need to see the man’s face to know who it was.

 _Shiiiiiiiit_. What to do, what to do? Dozens of scenarios ran through his mind, not a single one coming close to merely saying hi and then leaving so he could get back to acting like a responsible adult, because his self-restraint was good but not _that_ good.

Carefully putting down his basket, tucking it into one of the less populated aisles, Levi began trailing Erwin as the latter wandered through the market. A part of him was grossed out by his own actions, but it was somehow exhilarating, stalking Erwin. Was it a sign that Levi was smitten if he found fascination in which items Erwin chose over others, or in the way he paused and scratched his unshaven jaw when he couldn’t make up his mind?

Erwin was meandering into the empty cereal section at the far corner of the store when Levi finally decided to make his move. He could almost feel the blood surging through his arteries as he crept up on Erwin from behind, silently, precisely, even as his breaths were coming in quick. Barely two paces away, he curled, knees bending in restrained power, leg muscles bunching—he hadn’t been a part of three varsity sports teams for nothing—and threw himself on Erwin’s broad back. He landed with a thump, arms and legs wrapping around like a koala.

Erwin yelped, stumbling forward, the arm that wasn’t holding his grocery basket instinctively snapping back to secure the sixty-five kilograms of lean bulk that had unceremoniously crashed into him.

“Wh—!” Erwin whipped around, his forehead nearly smacking into Levi’s, who was contentedly resting his chin on Erwin’s shoulder. “Levi?!”

“Sup.”

“Wh-Why are you—” Erwin spluttered.

Levi's eyebrows raised in a what-can-you-do expression, mouth pulled down. “I saw you standing here like a tree, and I’ve always been a first-rate tree-climber, so...”

“A tree—?” Erwin repeated dumbly. Levi gave himself a mental high five for making the normally composed blond stammer.

“Didn’t think I’d be seeing you so soon,” he admitted into a warm shoulder. At that, Erwin seemed to collect his wits, setting down his basket and using both arms to boost Levi higher on his back.

“Me too.” Levi could feel his sigh through his back. “Although I regret that I can’t see your face like this.”

“I’m okay with that,” Levi retorted, muffling a smile in Erwin’s shirt. The dolt just harrumphed good-naturedly. “Well, don’t let me keep you from shopping,” Levi said airily, waving his hand. “Go on, grab your Cinnamon Swirls or whatever the fuck they’re called.”

“Whole grain Cheerios, Levi.”

“Yeah, yeah, close enough.” Erwin laughed through his nose, shaking his head. He shifted to make sure Levi was sufficiently balanced before he began ambling around, scanning for his beloved cereal. When he spotted the box on the bottom shelf, he crouched down to grab it, squatting abruptly on purpose so that Levi’s stomach jumped from the falling sensation. Erwin must have heard him gasp, because he started chuckling as he stood back up and dropped the Cheerios into his basket. Levi pinched his cheek and used the excuse to cling to Erwin more tightly. “Bastard.”

With grocery basket slung over the dark-haired man’s shoulder, they walked around the store like that, Erwin completely unruffled, Levi embarrassed to be acting like a child in public but not having enough fucks to give. Like, come on, they’d won a war for humanity already. If Levi wanted to parade around a grocery store perched on Erwin’s back, the government should be laying out a red carpet for them.

Wait. What was that about a war? Huh? Why did he just think that? Weird.

Erwin, in the meantime, instead of worrying about what other people thought, was more concerned about dropping Levi and insisted on keeping hold of him with both hands. Not that Levi would fall; he was more than strong enough to hold himself up even with a basket in one arm, but he wasn’t about to tell the idiot that, since having Erwin’s huge-ass yaoi hands on him was kind of pleasant. Nonetheless, he started to feel guilty after a few minutes of walking around and told Erwin to put him down as soon as he got tired, but Erwin just laughed as if the thought that Levi could ever weigh enough to tire him out was preposterous.

“Hmmm,” Erwin said, stopping in front of the frozen fish. “Do you think I should get trout or king salmon?”

“You’re buying it raw?” Levi asked with a raised brow. “Do you even know how to cook fish?”

“Actually, I do. Grilled salmon is one of my only dishes.”

“Really. That’s random.”

“My mother and father both like fish, so I learned it for them. Also, Mike is coming back from vacation later this evening, so I thought I’d make something special.”

“Oh, your roommate." Levi shifted the basket from one arm to the other. "Wait, vacation? Who goes on vacation in the middle of the school year?”

“Our exams were done in January, and he scheduled his final trial for last semester so he could go on an early grad trip with his girlfriend.” Erwin's half-smile was wistful with just a touch of envy. “Those two are practically attached at the hip.”

“The Nanaba person you were talking about?”

“Yes. They’re both nice people. I think you’ll like them.”

“Good, because I’ll probably be seeing a lot of them after exams,” Levi said wryly.

Erwin grinned. “Because you’ll be visiting me so much?”

He mentally mourned the fact that Erwin couldn’t see his fabulous eye roll, but did it anyway for his self-satisfaction. “No, because I’ll be visiting Mike. What do you think?”

“Hehe.”

“So what fish are you getting?”

“I honestly have no idea. I don’t know which he would prefer, in any case.”

“Hmm. Bring me closer.” Erwin stepped forward and crouched down a little. Levi skimmed a sharp eye over the fish displayed on the bed of ice, then pointed to a farther one. “That one. It looks the freshest. And it’s king salmon, which is in season only a few months a year, unlike trout, so it’s special enough, I guess.”

“I see,” Erwin said, sounding impressed. “That makes sense. All right, I’ll get this one then. Excuse me, sir!”

Their fish was quickly bagged with only one odd look towards Levi from the handler, which the short man shot down with a glare. After grabbing a few more things to go along with the fish, they were lining up at the registers. Levi tried to curb his disappointment by holding on to Erwin more tightly.

They were next in line when Erwin suddenly asked, “Wait, Levi, don’t you have a basket?”

He groaned. “Shit, I completely forgot.” He began to unwind himself from Erwin to hop down and look for his basket, which was hopefully still where he’d left it, but a hand closed around his wrist, trapping him.

“Sorry,” Erwin said sheepishly to the cashier. “We’ll be back later.”

“Wait, what are you doing?” Levi demanded, trying to retract his arm as Erwin shuffled out of the line. “Stay here and pay or you’ll have to go all the way to the back, you moron. I can go myself.”

“That’s okay,” Erwin said cheerfully. “I want to go with you. I’m not in a rush to do anything, anyway. Now where did you leave your things?” Levi scowled to counter how red his ears probably were even though Erwin couldn’t see him, and pointed towards the opposite direction of where he’d left his basket.

Studying could wait a few more minutes.

* * *

It was two a.m. and Levi was making growly, whiny noises because goddammit, he was used to sleeping by one-thirty at the latest. But he couldn’t bring himself to regret how much he’d slacked that day, the warmth from Erwin’s body heat still lingering on his chest.

His phone buzzed, pulling him from his very verbal complaints.

The BF: Levi, are you still awake? :O

You: unfortunately

The BF: Aww, you poor little hard-worker. You can do it. Just a few days left! :D

You: unnngghhhhh kill me. btw the ‘little’ was unnecessary jackass

The BF: Hahaha, but you are little, Levi! In a manly, strong, cu—I mean, powerful way. ;)

You: bastard die just die

The BF: But you’d be bored without me, right? :(

You: who needs u, my milkshakes bring all the boys to the yard

The BF: You’d better not give anyone your milkshakes! >:(

You: do u even KNOW wat milkshakes are

The BF: Were you not referring to literal milkshakes? :O

You: omfg ur gonna turn me into a white girl, i cant even

The BF: Oh! That was a Tumblr reference, right? I got that one! :D

You: omfgggg plzzzzz

The BF: But on a serious note, maybe you should call it a night, Levi. You need sleep to study well. I’m concerned about your health.

You: im fine. just a few more mins. u on the other hand should sleep

The BF: Well, if you’re sure. Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I’m off to bed then. Goodnight, Levi! xoxoxo

You: night bf

The BF: By the way, I thought you might appreciate some proof that I can indeed make grilled salmon.

Levi tapped on the image file that Erwin sent. It was a photo of a juicy-looking piece of salmon decorated by chopped asparagus and a sprinkling of leek, artfully arranged on a porcelain dish. The picture was taken at an awkward, slanted angle so that Levi had to tilt his head to see it properly. Erwin had used the front camera, his grinning face and peace-signing fingers poking out from the corner of the photo, and a shaggy man who Levi presumed was Mike was sitting at the table in the background, his hand blurred as if he’d been waving.

It wasn’t a sharp, professionally taken photo, but everything about it screamed Erwin. Levi saved the picture to his phone, then fired off another message.

You: looks surprisingly good. maybe mike wont die from food poisoning

Levi sighed, glancing at his watch. He would study for thirty more minutes. He could do this. Thirty more minutes, and then three more days.

* * *

“Time’s up! Pens down and pass in your papers, please!”

Levi collapsed on the desk, rubbing his cramping right hand with his left. Five exams in three days was brutal. Fuck the exam scheduling people.

The person sitting in front of him tapped him on the arm and he shoved his pile of papers in their direction without looking up.

“Have all the exams been collected? Yes? All right, you’re free to leave now! Good luck on your remaining exams and have a wonderful summer!”

Levi reached under the table and grabbed his bag, fishing for his phone.

Conversation: Hange Zoe, Petra Ral, Levi Ackerman

Levi Ackerman: yo shitters im free

Petra Ral: UR DONE? YAAAAAAAAAAY IM DONE TOOOOO

Hange Zoe: nice we’re all free then

Petra Ral: wanna go hang out somewhere??

Hange Zoe: sure

Levi Ackerman: k where

Petra Ral: i’ve REALLY been craving sushi

Hange Zoe: the one by the student rec centre is rly good

Petra Ral: okay!! let’s go there then? meet in ten?

Levi Ackerman: k

Hange Zoe: ok cya

Levi looked up and swore under his breath when he saw the crowd of students piling at the entrance. He’d wait until there were fewer people.

You: yo

The BF: Hello, Levi. :) I’m assuming you’ve finished all your exams?

You: yup RIP my right hand

The BF: I find that massages help with cramps.

You: wanna massage my hand for me

The BF: Sure. <3 I’m free right now if you are.

You: o were u actually gonna massage my hand lol i was joking. going out with petra and hange right now

The BF: Oh, that’s too bad. Maybe next time, then. :)

You: actually gimme a sec

Conversation: Hange Zoe, Petra Ral, Levi Ackerman

Levi Ackerman: u twits ok with me bringing erwin along or is that not cool

Hange Zoe: u totally should. moar observation time

Petra Ral: OMG I’M ALWAYS OPEN TO ERWIN JOINING US!!! :DDD

Hange Zoe: course u r u ho

Petra Ral: WOW.

Levi Ackerman: k ill let him know

You: h and p are asking if u wanna come along

The BF: Are you sure? :O I wouldn’t want to intrude. I see you first thing tomorrow anyway. :)))

You: come. sushi beside src in 10

The BF: Okay, I’ll be there. See you later!

You: c u

* * *

Levi saw Hange and Petra walk into the restaurant ahead of him and hatched an idea. He felt a little bad for being sneaky, but made up his mind after a quick pros versus cons comparison, rounding the corner of the building and plastering himself against the blackened side windows so that they couldn’t see him from inside.

Levi was a man on a mission. He’d been holding back for over a week. He totally deserved this.

He stood there patiently, keeping an eye on the road. Soon enough, a blond head sticking above the crowd bobbed into view, his hair neatly pushed back for once. Levi waited until he was almost at the entrance, then shot out and grabbed Erwin around the wrist, tugging him into the side alley.

“Wh—” was all Erwin could get out before he was shoved into the thick glass wall, his eyes wide in shock. Levi crowded right into his space and stood on the very tips of his toes, arms clasping behind Erwin’s neck, straining up, up, up—but fuck, he couldn’t _reach_ , he’d forgotten that the top of his head barely even met Erwin’s chin, this wasn’t part of the plan—

“Shit, you big fuck,” Levi growled. “What’d you eat to get so fucking hu—”

Erwin leaned down and kissed him.

Levi stopped breathing. His face burned, his ears burned, hell, even his neck burned, but Erwin’s eyes were closed and his lips were so soft...

Levi’s eyelids shuttered, and he tilted his head up and a little to the side, gently pressing his mouth back into Erwin’s. He’d never done this before so he wasn’t sure if he was doing it right, but it felt so good, how his lips fit against Erwin’s warm ones, a slow pucker then release as they breathed through their noses.

The hands that had naturally fallen to Levi’s hips tightened, pulling him closer so that he could only lean helplessly on Erwin, balance forgotten. They kissed for a moment longer, and he was getting lightheaded even with the quick breaths he was pulling in, but then Erwin gave his bottom lip a last good suck before he drew away. A sound of protest almost escaped Levi’s throat, but he swallowed it down. As they parted, his eyes opening in the cool evening air, he watched Erwin’s eyelashes flutter. They were just a shade lighter than the blond strands on his head.

“Hello there,” Erwin said huskily, baby blues pale in the glow of the setting sun. Levi’s arms slid from around Erwin’s neck as he sank back on to his feet, and he cleared his throat to make sure his voice wouldn’t crack like a prepubescent teen’s.

“Hi.”

Erwin grinned. He looked exactly like he’d just been exchanging a few quick kisses, his cheeks and lips red, but otherwise relatively composed. Levi wanted to see him with his hair mussed, an all-encompassing flush heating his skin from the core, full lips bruised by nipping teeth.

“So...that did not go the way I planned,” the dark-haired man commented, rubbing a thumb over his mouth.

Erwin blinked at him before the grin fell from his face. “I-I’m sorry, I just assumed that that was what you wanted when you put your face so close to mine—”

“That’s not what I meant,” Levi said quickly. “I meant that I was going to slam you into the wall and kiss the living daylights out of you. But you ended up kissing the living daylights out of me, dick.”

Erwin’s eyes went round, and then he laughed with such delight that Levi felt his face getting hot again. He kicked Erwin in the shin.

“Sorry, sorry,” Erwin wheezed, pulling Levi to him and resting his chin on the shorter man’s head. “I wasn’t expecting that. You can kabe-don me next time.”

He curled his fingers into the back of Erwin’s shirt, rubbing his face in that broad chest and breathing in. “How the fuck do you not know what milkshakes are but know about kabe-don?” he grumbled.

“Oh!” Erwin gushed, pulling away. “Nana showed me a kabe-don video the other day! I absolutely have to send it to you. It’s something called a vine, as in grapevine, but without the grape. Have you heard of vines, Levi? They’re hilarious. The one Nana showed me, oh, sometimes youngsters just blow my mind...”

* * *

“And where have you two been?” Hange asked, their smirk so wide they could’ve played The Joker makeup-less.

"Getting a bit of alley action," Levi sneered, to which Erwin facepalmed. "What, you jelly?"

Hange rolled their eyes, glasses glinting ominously as they turned up their nose. "Please. I get so much more than you do."

"Says you." Levi nudged Erwin towards the seats against the wall that Hange and Petra had saved for them.

“Hi, Erwin!” Petra exclaimed. “Nice to see you again! How have you been?”

Erwin beamed at her, which made her beam back, and the beaming kept going back and forth in an endless cycle of positive reinforcement. Levi rolled his eyes, appalled by how much rainbow and sunshine the two idiots generated, even if it was kind of funny how much they adored each other. “Hello, Petra. I’m well, thank you. And you? Exams all done?”

“Yup! It’s time to partaayy,” she said with a little wiggle-dance. Levi snorted.

“Your idea of partying is putting on a onesie and watching Netflix all day.”

“What’s wrong with that!”

Hange snickered. “Don’t pretend you don’t like it, Levi. I know you join her sometimes.”

Erwin’s mouth dropped open. “Levi owns a onesie?”

“Hange got me a chicken one,” he muttered, glaring at his friend.

They perked up, unfazed. “Actually, I think I’ve got a picture in my phone. Wanna see, Erwin?” The blond nodded eagerly, leaning across the table.

“Oh my fucking God, can you not?”

“He looks totally adorable in it,” Petra giggled. “Like, he pulls on the hood ‘cause his head gets cold, and those red hair things attached on it flop around, since, you know, it’s a chicken.”

“Ah, I found it. Here, here.”

The trio crowded around Hange’s phone, their expressions ranging from smugness to pure adoration. “...I want to squeal in a very unmanly way right now,” Erwin confessed.

“AHAHA!”

“Isn’t he just the most lovable chicken ever!”

“Holy shit, will you people stop.”

“I must say, Hange, that you have excellent taste in clothing. That apron too, the yellow one with pink polka dots—it just fits Levi so well.”

“Jesus, you understand my vogue fashion sense? I’m ahead of the times, yanno? Levi, he gets my fashion sense. You have to keep this one.”

Levi buried his face in his hands. Why did he do this to himself?

* * *

A much too lively couple of hours later, Hange and Petra waved goodbye as they headed for their dorm building, where they lived next door to each other. Levi and Erwin waved back and turned the opposite direction, deciding to walk rather than bus. The sky was an endless stretch of violet-black and the soothing night air was a perfect balance between hot and cold. Streetlights cast cones of light along the road, bright enough so that they could see where they were going, but too dim to lift the absolute darkness of night.

“I’m so full,” Levi griped, patting his belly. “Haven’t had sushi in forever. And that was legit sashimi too.”

“Did our lowly campus restaurant meet the standards of Sir Levi, food connoisseur extraordinaire?” Erwin teased.

“Please. I am half-Japanese. My sushi palate is beyond refined. You wouldn’t understand; you’re from...uh...” Levi frowned. “Where are you from?”

Erwin laughed. “Technically Nedlay, but I have English roots. My grandmother speaks with an English accent.”

“Huh. Well, I guess I should’ve expected it from a last name like Smith. Can you imitate the accent?”

“I used to have it when I was younger, back when my parents lived in Sina and it was mainly my grandmother who took care of me. But Mother told me I would fit in more easily if I matched the accent of people from the capital.”

“No way.” Levi’s eyes gleamed. “Talk with the English accent.”

Erwin rubbed his chin, thinking of something interesting to say. “All right. Ahem.” He looked down at Levi’s expectant expression and tried to keep a straight face. “Levi,” he said, intonation distinctly foreign, the name sounding softer somehow. Levi bit the corner of his lip. “Will you lend me your hand for the remainder of this stroll?”

“...Huh?” Levi stammered, too distracted by how posh Erwin sounded, all gentle consonants and melodious vowels.

“Your hand,” Erwin said with a small smile, holding out his own, palm up. “If you are willing.”

“Holding hands? We’re in public, you moron,” Levi spluttered. At least with a piggyback, people might have thought he’d injured his leg or something, but hand-holding between two grown, able-bodied men could only imply a romantic relationship.

“It’ll be all right,” Erwin said, the accent making Levi want to believe him. “No one’s around anyway."

He grimaced. “PDA grosses me out...”

Erwin stuck out his bottom lip and his eyes went wide and shiny. “C’mon, Levi,” he said, reverting back to his normal accent.

Levi groaned loudly and complied, sticking out his hand. With a huge grin, his white teeth glinting in the darkness, Erwin gently took it and laced their fingers together, their arms swinging as they walked.

“I hate you so fucking much,” Levi grumbled. Erwin just hummed merrily. “So where are we going anyway?”

“I was thinking maybe to your place?”

“Sure, but you know you don’t have to walk me home all the time. I ain’t a chick.”

“I know,” Erwin said, squeezing their hands together. “And you’re a fourth-dan black belt in judo and karate. But I still want to go with you.”

“Tch. Whatever floats your boat. You’re a pretty old-fashioned guy, huh?”

“Maybe a little,” Erwin said, embarrassed. “I was planning for our first kiss to be after our date tomorrow, cliché and all, I know. But then you went and tempted me, little minx.”

Levi leered, sidling closer. “You know it, big guy.”

They made it to Levi’s house too quickly. The curtains were drawn so Kenny couldn’t see them from inside, but Levi was paranoid and pulled Erwin close to the front door so that his uncle wouldn’t see them even if he peeked out the window.

“I had fun today,” Erwin said lowly, finally letting go of Levi’s hand. It was left warm and a little sweaty, which should have disgusted him, but he couldn’t bring himself to hate it.

“Yeah,” Levi said, not looking Erwin in the eye. Ugh, he was acting like a high school girl on her first date or something. But it wasn’t his fault he’d never done all this dating shit before. Okay, it was maybe half his fault. More than half? Whatever.

“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then?” Erwin asked, his smile tentative.

“...Yeah.”

“Okay. Goodnight, Levi.” Erwin leaned down and pecked him on the cheek, then moved to pull away, but Levi reached up and grabbed him around the neck.

“You could at least give me a proper kiss,” he mumbled quietly, still worried that Kenny would hear. Erwin grinned, gathered Levi in his arms, and kissed him fully on the mouth. Their lips moved together, the sensation still new and no less amazing than the first time as Levi learned how to press his mouth against Erwin’s to find the best fit. But the longer Erwin’s soft lips were on his, the more Levi wanted—he needed to get closer, feel more, make Erwin lose his mind.

His hands began to touch, stroking the back of Erwin’s neck, brushing up over his spiky undercut. He caressed the silky, longer hair, fingers snaking in to lightly rub at Erwin’s skull. A muted noise escaped from the blond’s mouth, prompting Levi to open his own, sucking Erwin’s plump lower lip and carefully nipping at it like he’d wanted to for the longest time.

Erwin sighed, pulling Levi even closer, one hand a steel grip around the shorter man’s waist and the other carding into black hair. He withdrew just enough to whisper “open your mouth” against Levi’s lips, which was obeyed with a shiver. Erwin immediately glued his lips back on to Levi’s, much to the latter’s relief, and this time, his tongue prodded gently into Levi’s mouth. The dark-haired man jerked and let out an inadvertent high-pitched noise when that tongue touched his, a spike of arousal shooting to his dick, and he massaged the warm, wet appendage back with his own. It was slimy and delicious, better than anything he had imagined. He felt a prick of horror at his weakening knees, but was too preoccupied to do anything about it when Erwin was still licking inside his mouth so _good_.

Sadly, they had to stop sometime, because he still kind of sucked at this whole breathing thing. Their lips separated with a moist pop, eyes sliding open. As they reluctantly withdrew their limbs back to themselves, becoming two different people again, Levi took in Erwin’s messy hair, dazed eyes, blotchy red skin and glistening lips. Fuck, but if that wasn’t one of the hottest things he’d ever seen in his life.

"Well, that was fun," he breathed.

Erwin nodded mutely, blinking like he was trying to digest what had just happened.

Levi swiped his tongue over his lips. "So. Uh. Where we meeting tomorrow?"

"Um," Erwin said, his voice half an octave deeper than usual, and Levi suppressed a shudder. "I'll pick you up here at eleven? Is that too early?"

"Nah, it's fine. I wake up early even on weekends."

"Okay. I'll...see you tomorrow then."

"Yeah."

Erwin smiled at him, the corners of his eyes crinkling. He was turning away to step down from the landing when Levi seized his arm, mouth opening to ask for one last kiss. But Erwin was quicker, whirling around and murmuring "just one more", before he caught Levi's bottom lip in a heady suck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next 2 chaps will be out in a couple days tops :) thanks as always for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> m-rating gonna start to apply from this chapter on, boys and girls

The following morning, Levi woke with the hugest hard-on he'd probably ever sported in his life, courtesy of the porn-worthy dreams he’d been having all night long. He growled and half-heartedly punched a pillow, debating whether or not to jerk off, but it was already nine, and the idea of masturbating to Erwin when they’d be meeting in a couple hours was just...awkward. So Levi resigned to climbing out of bed and taking a cold shower. He almost wanted to tell Erwin, just to let the moron know how grateful he should be to have such a thoughtful, selfless boyfriend.

Conversation: Hange Zoe, Petra Ral, Levi Ackerman

Levi Ackerman: almost jerked off to erwin but didnt

Petra Ral: U HAVEN’T JERKED OFF TO HIM BEFORE?? PETRA IS IMPRESSED

Hange Zoe: petra is also a ho

Petra Ral: WOW, THAT’S NOT NICE. also, guess what? today’s date night! :D

Levi Ackerman: o with the splat guy

Petra Ral: ...oh, no, is that what we’re calling him?

Hange Zoe: wait date NIGHT?

Petra Ral: yup, gonna drop by his place for dinner

Levi Ackerman: on a first date? u ever watch thrillers or no

Hange Zoe: ya gurl u cray

Petra Ral: oh, no. D: do u guys think it’s dangerous???

Hange Zoe: uh a lil. isnt this the first time ur seeing him since u met him

Petra Ral: yeah. awww, okay, maybe i’ll suggest going out somewhere then :(

Levi Ackerman: good

Hange Zoe: speaking of date night isnt it date night for u levi

Levi Ackerman: yeah but not date night its date day

Petra Ral: WHAT? U GUYS SHOULD TOTALLY HAVE MOVED ON TO DATE NIGHT BY NOW

Hange Zoe: havent u done the whole making out but not necessarily to have sex just for fun thing yet

Levi Ackerman: uh we've kissed a bit. ^is that a thing

Hange Zoe: ummmmm its ONLY the best part of going out with someone new?

Petra Ral: it definitely sounds fun!! :DD

Levi Ackerman: o

Hange Zoe: also when r u gonna do it with him

Petra Ral: GASP

Levi Ackerman: i dunno going with the flow

Hange Zoe: well if u do happen to get up to any hanky panky with him tonight and he acts completely different the next morning ull know hes evil. like ive been saying all along

Levi Ackerman: fuck i completely forgot we were still thinking about that

Petra Ral: oh, hange, do u really still believe that? i mean, we’ve eaten with him twice now and he just doesn’t seem like that type of person! :O

Hange Zoe: what, the more u hang with him the less u think the rumours r tru?

Levi Ackerman: yeah. i dont see it

Petra Ral: i don't either!

Hange Zoe: okay then. levi ur good at reading ppl so if ur truly convinced then i am happy for u bae <3

Petra Ral: YAY! :D yes, i totally agree. sometimes rumours are just rumours, u know?

Levi Ackerman: yeah. well ill still be cautious i guess. gtg now ttyl

The conversation left Levi shaky. He had forgotten his promise with Hange. It had slipped his mind so easily as he got swept into Erwin’s pace, blinded by his quirky boyfriend's affection and passion. He simply could not comprehend how Erwin could be manipulative in any way. The only times the blond had ever been cold was around his fellow law students, and Levi could understand that, given what Erwin had been through with Marie. If even Hange and Petra knew about Erwin’s father, then an entire faculty crawling with aspiring lawyers must house many who knew. It made sense, that Erwin would avoid forming emotional connections with people who were likely to take advantage of him, even if his father had already moved back to countryside Nedlay and now only took on small civilian cases. Doctor Smith was no longer a big-shot attorney, CEO of Sina Law Corp; but Erwin’s hurt and distrust was too deep-rooted to be erased just like that.

The more Levi thought about it, the more convinced he became of this rationalization. He would talk about it with Erwin one day, but for now, he would offer his trust. The trust that the blond had so unconditionally been gifting Levi since day one.

A scalding shower later, Levi was himself once again.

* * *

Erwin knocked on his door at eleven sharp, looking refreshed in a fitted, dark blue sweater and jeans that made his legs look miles long. The v-neck that dipped enough to torment but not enough to scream ‘douche’, coupled with those long bangs tucked towards his temple, brushing too close to his eyes, made Levi flashback to his dreams. Ugh.

“Hello,” Erwin said brightly. He was obviously a morning person. And an afternoon person. And a night person.

“Hi,” Levi replied dryly. “Well, don’t you look dashing today. No sweatpants. Much neat. Very class. Wow.”

Erwin scratched the back of his head, his smile crooked. “I thought I should try harder today.” He leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially, “Since it’s technically a date.” Levi snorted. “And you look handsome as usual, Levi.”

He looked down at his customary wide-collared, long-sleeved white shirt and black jeans. “Sure.”

“I mean it though,” Erwin insisted. He reached out and absentmindedly brushed tender fingers over Levi’s exposed collarbone, completely out of the blue. Levi jerked back and slapped a hand over where Erwin had touched, shocked by the sensitivity of his skin.

“You asshole,” he hissed. “Are you trying to make me horny first thing in the morning?” Erwin’s eyes widened in surprise at first, but the smirk that followed was so sly that Levi kind of wanted to just ditch the date and drag the hot idiot upstairs to his bed.

“Looks like I’ve just learned something new,” Erwin said, waggling his eyebrows.

“Fuck,” Levi grumbled under his breath. “First this morning, and now this.”

“What happened this morning?”

“Nothing, you moron. Let’s get going. Kenny! Hey, I’m going out!”

Kenny popped out of the kitchen. “Got it. Oh, is that Erwin?”

Erwin immediately straightened. “Hello, sir. Nice to meet you.” He looked prepared to shake Kenny’s hand and do something horrifying like ask permission to date Levi, but the shorter man wasn’t quite ready to tell his uncle about their relationship yet.

“Yes, yes, Kenny says it’s nice to meet you too, we’re done with the pleasantries, now let’s go,” he cut in, shoving at Erwin who barely budged.

Kenny shook his head wryly. “Good to meet you, Erwin.” He waved them off, already walking back towards his breakfast.

“I’ll be back tonight,” Levi called over his shoulder, then closed the door behind him with a sigh of relief. “Great. So, where d’you wanna go?”

* * *

They decided to catch a bus downtown, since Erwin had read somewhere about an amazing Japanese-style spaghetti restaurant on Main. Levi had complained once about how all the Japanese cuisine in Sina was fake, so Erwin had looked up the reviews for that restaurant, some of which he'd had to run through Google translator since the place was apparently so authentic that most of the reviews were in Japanese. Levi was so touched that Erwin had put in such an effort, he even allowed a bit of hand-holding before they got to the bus stop, much to Erwin's elation.

It would be a thirty-minute commute, and although both were perfectly fine sitting in comfortable silence, they ended up playing their own version of twenty questions—Erwin was one of the few people who interested Levi enough that he'd rather talk to him than stare out the window.

When they'd first met, the questions had been boring, superficial ones: Erwin's favourite colour was blue, and Levi's favourite animal was the cat. They had long since moved on to more meaningful topics.

"Favourite sex position," Levi hissed, leering. Erwin squirmed in his seat, face red.

"Levi, we're in public," he whined under his breath. "You're probably scarring some poor old lady right now."

"Please. Behind every old person is a past of sinful, kinky sex," Levi stated.

"B-But—"

"Don't worry, no one can hear," he cooed. "All these groups of brainless teens make it impossible to hear a thing. Now be a good boy and answer the question."

Erwin groaned quietly, covering his face with his hands. "...ly...ary."

"What?" Levi said, inching closer.

"...Probably missionary..."

"Ha! I knew it!" He pumped his fist. "You wanna see their faces 'cause you're a sap like that, amirite?"

Erwin pouted, ignoring him. "My turn now. Favourite male singer?" He frowned when Levi just gaped at him. "What?"

"Did...did you just ask me my favourite male singer?" Levi squawked incredulously, a hand flying to his chest.

"What's wrong with that?" Erwin asked, his brow wrinkled.

"You can't just _ask_ people that, Erwin, Jesus," he snapped. "That's way too personal."

"What!" Erwin exclaimed, drawing the attention of a few people sitting around them. He shrank into himself, whispering furiously in the general direction of Levi's ear, "You just asked my favourite sex position!"

"That's obviously different," Levi said matter-of-factly. "Music taste is, like, the window to the soul."

Erwin threw his arms up. "Fine. All right. Since it's not such a big deal, Levi, what's _your_ favourite sex position?"

"That's easy," Levi scoffed. "I wouldn't know."

"What?" Erwin spluttered. "That's not fair. You have to answer the question."

He shrugged. "I've never done it before. So I dunno." Erwin was suspiciously quiet for a few tense seconds. Levi glanced at the blond out of the corner of his eye.

The idiot was wearing the widest, toothiest, most radiant smile he had ever seen, eyes twinkling and everything.

“Wh-What the fuck?” Levi said, flinching back. “Something wrong with your head?”

“You’ve never done it before?” Erwin asked in awe. His baby blues were as huge and bright as an anime character’s.

“Well...yeah...” Levi said slowly. “Never been interested enough and it seemed like too much of a hassle. I thought I told you.”

“Yes, but...you haven’t done anything? With anyone? No high school experimentation?”

The black-haired man’s eyes narrowed. “Is it that strange for someone my age?”

“No, no,” Erwin said, smile not waning a bit. “I was just wondering.”

He snorted. “Sure. Whatever.”

Erwin floated on cloud nine for the remainder of the bus ride, which Levi found absolutely ridiculous. And kind of endearing. Who in their right mind these days was so happy their boyfriend or girlfriend was a virgin? He certainly hadn’t been saving himself, since he personally believed that that was an outdated and narrow-minded attitude towards sex; he’d just never gotten around to doing it.

But Erwin was traditional in the weirdest ways sometimes, and the fact that he was so innocently happy that he’d be the first to touch Levi (amongst many other firsts, which Levi was loathe to admit), was kind of cute. Besides, based on what he knew of Erwin, the blond wasn’t enough of a prude to be disapproving of sexual exploration, and he definitely wouldn’t have been disappointed or repelled if Levi had had other lovers. So Levi decided to let it go, and allow Erwin his little moment.

Not just ‘cause he was cute when he was humming and tapping out a beat on his thighs with his fingers.

* * *

The restaurant was a cozy establishment on the corner of Main and 3rd, deeper than it was wide. Its rosewood furnishings and oval tables suggested a quiet elegance behind the friskiness of its stringed lights, checkered floors, and chairs with curvy legs. The northern and eastern walls facing the street were made almost entirely of glass, noon sun shining in so that the only artificial lighting necessary to keep the place well illuminated were dim lamps installed in the far wall. The pair sat right by the windows, enjoying sunshine that neither had seen in a while from being cooped up studying all the time.

Levi watched as Erwin happily slurped up his spaghetti. For one pitiful second, he wished he could be reborn as them. "Yours looks good. Gimme a bite."

Erwin pushed his plate of double meat sauce spaghetti towards Levi, chewing happily. "This is excellent. Good thing you told me Japanese spaghetti existed, because I think I'm going to develop a taste for it. Oh, here, add some parmesan. The cheese gives the sauce a bit more edge."

“Okay.” Levi took the proffered jar of parmesan, sprinkling generously, then twirled a forkful and brought the noodles to his mouth. “Mmm, good. This sauce is giving me a mouthgasm.”

“I guess you could say that it’s...awesomesauce,” Erwin said with a wink, nudging Levi’s foot with his.

Levi kicked him and glared, even though he knew he’d set himself up for that one. “It’s way too early for you to be making dad jokes.”

“My dad jokes are amazing.”

“Yeah, keep telling yourself that. D’you wanna try mine? Mentaiko: marinated fish roe.” He pushed his plate forward.

“Sure,” Erwin said, and took a bite. “Wow, yours is amazing, too.”

“Perfect firmness of noodles, traditional seasonings, suitable portion sizes, and relatively affordable.” Levi smirked. “I’m impressed, dear bf.”

“Why, thank you,” Erwin replied, mirroring the smirk. “I’m glad you approve. Speaking of which, is there anything in particular that you wanted to do today? I haven’t really thought past lunch.”

“Actually...” Levi pulled his phone from his back pocket and tapped at it a few times. “I kind of wanted to watch Avengers 2 sometime, but it doesn’t have to be today if you don’t wanna.”

“Oooh, Age of Ultron!” Erwin said through a mouthful. “I don’t mind. I was looking forward to seeing it, too.”

“There’s a showing at seven.”

“Cineplex on 5th?”

“Yeah.”

“Sounds good. Do you want to just walk around downtown until then, maybe eat a quick dinner beforehand?”

“Yeah, I’m down. I need to get some cleaning supplies anyway.”

Erwin laughed, shaking his head.

* * *

They spent the afternoon strolling through downtown, wandering into whatever shop seemed interesting. Levi ended up buying green tea for Erwin, while Erwin bought black tea for Levi, along with a few dress shirts for himself that Levi had insisted he get. Dinner was at a Mexican grill they randomly happened upon on the street, where they finished eating in time to get to the theatre early and snag seats near the back. Passing the popcorn back and forth, Levi nursed his medium iced tea and Erwin his small pop, which he’d gotten since he was afraid he’d have to go to the washroom partway through. Apparently, missing any part of the movie would be completely unacceptable since he’d heard that it was ninety percent fighting scenes. Erwin’s favourite, obviously. The simpleton.

Levi, on the other hand, mostly just wanted to watch the movie for its fine male specimens. Fighting scenes were cool too, but only because they displayed those hot bods. He was finding himself to be increasingly attracted to fit, male physique, ever since his hormones had been awoken. Did this count as a second puberty?

The commercials seemed endless, and they were halfway through their popcorn when the film finally began rolling. Erwin didn’t comment as much as he usually did when they watched movies, probably because they were in a theatre for once, and he was concentrating on memorizing the lines to annoy the hell out of Levi later. At first, the shorter man found the lack of commentary a little unnerving since the moron was usually the snuggliest, most talkative thing alive when they watched anything on TV. But then midway through, Erwin reached over his armrest and casually linked their hands together, and all was well in Levi’s world again. Sitting there squeezing Erwin’s palm in his, the film passed much more quickly than he expected.

* * *

“I’m going to run to the washroom,” Erwin said, throwing his empty cup in the trashcan.

“Okay, I’ll wait for you here.”

Erwin stared at him. “You don’t need to go? After two and a half hours and a medium pop?”

Levi waved him off, leaning against the theatre wall. “Nah, I got a bladder of steel.”

“Well, all right then. I’ll be quick.”

“You don’t have to rush or anything,” Levi called after him. “But you better wash your hands, ‘cause they’re gonna be doing a bit of _exploring_ later!”

A mother dragging her daughter towards the washrooms shot a scandalized look at Levi. Erwin, meanwhile, obviously didn’t get it because he just rolled his eyes and retorted over his shoulder, “I always wash my hands!” Levi snickered at his boyfriend’s naivety. Damn, that one had been so obvious, too.

True to his word, the blond was back in only a couple of minutes, breathing a little heavily.

Levi raised an eyebrow. “I said you didn’t have to rush.”

“No, I just remembered that we’ll miss the last bus to campus if we don’t hurry.” Levi glanced at his watch.

“Oh, shit. You’re right.”

“Yeah,” Erwin said, lips quirking up. “Let’s run.”

Levi pushed off the wall and wrapped his bag with the tea can inside several times around his hand so that it wouldn't get in the way. “I’ll race you.”

“Oh?” Erwin said with a smirk. He tucked his own bags under his arm. “I hope you don’t go easy on me, mister former high school track team captain.”

Levi jutted out his chin, somehow managing to look down his nose at Erwin. “Wouldn’t dream of it, big guy.” And he shot off like rabid wolves were on his heels.

“Hey, not fair!” Erwin exclaimed, bolting after him.

They sprinted like madmen to the bus stop, thankfully not having to cross any streets, although Erwin would’ve definitely called a timeout if they had. The blond passed Levi several paces before they reached the pole, gasping "on your left". They were both panting a little when they got there, but there weren’t any other passengers waiting for the bus to give them dirty looks.

“What the fuck,” Levi wheezed. “Didja do track in school or something? How are you so fucking fast?”

“I jog and work out every other day,” Erwin rasped, taking in deep breaths.

“So do I,” Levi snapped. “Shit, it’s ‘cause you’re so much taller than me, you cover way too much ground, goddammit.”

Erwin grinned, hands on his hips. The way his chest moved rapidly up and down made his sweater cling to his body, which definitely was not helping with Levi’s heart rate, goddammit. “Are we a little bitter?”

Levi crossed his arms over his chest, snorting. “Not particularly. I’ll beat you next time.”

Erwin laughed. “Okay. Until next time,” he said, completely sincere. Levi hmph’d.

When the bus came, they took the side seats in the middle, fumbling since all the lights were turned off save for a small one above the back door.

“So how was the movie?” Erwin asked as they settled in.

“I think I got hard when Captain America ripped apart that stump of wood with his bare hands.”

Erwin groaned, sliding a hand over his face as his head hit the back of his seat. “Levi...”

“What?” Levi said defensively. “It was fucking hot.”

“I don’t know why you ever thought your hormones didn’t work.”

“I mean, I was only introduced to Cap this last year or so.”

Erwin somehow laughed and groaned at the same time.

“What about you? Liked it?”

“Yeah, I think the action scenes were really well done. Good CGI.” Levi hummed. “And Scarlet Witch was very pretty.”

“Ah,” was all the shorter man said for a moment. Erwin peeked at him, pursing his lips to hold back a smile.

A few long seconds later, Levi said flatly, “Yeah, she’s pretty hot.”

“You think so too?” Erwin asked, swallowing down his laughter.

“Yeah.”

“Nice hair, right? I tend to prefer the darker-haired ones.”

“Yeah.”

“Expressive eyes.”

“Yeah.”

“And decent acting skills.”

“Yeah.”

“Are you jealous, Levi?”

“Yeah.” Pause. “Wait, no. I didn’t mean that. Wow, I fucking hate your guts.”

Erwin finally chuckled then, scooting closer so that their thighs were pressed together. “Have a taste of your own medicine, you little devil,” he teased. Levi hid a smirk, clicking his tongue and looking out the window. “So I was wondering,” Erwin said, the sudden nervous lilt to it making Levi turn back to him inquisitively. “Were you planning on heading home after this?”

Levi cocked his head like he didn’t know where the conversation was going. “Well, yeah. This bus takes me directly there, after all. Why?”

“Uh,” Erwin stuttered, staring down at his fingers. “Do you have a curfew?”

“No,” Levi replied, shuffling back a bit so that he could properly enjoy Erwin's expression. “Kenny doesn’t care as long as I let him know. There someplace you wanna go?”

Erwin’s cheeks went pink. “Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to...hang out at my place for a bit. I know it’s late, but—”

“Sure.” Hook, line, sinker.

Erwin’s head shot up. His face was periodically bathed in a yellow glow from headlights of passing cars, revealing his eager grin. Aww, how cute. “Yeah?”

Levi shrugged. “I don’t see why not. We’ll just get off a few stops early to get to your place, right?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. It’s not like I have to wake up early tomorrow or anything. I’m officially on summer break now anyway.”

“All right.” Erwin beamed.

They gossiped for the next twenty minutes, Erwin telling Levi about stupid things Mike had done in the past to piss off Nanaba, and Levi telling Erwin about Petra’s potential new boyfriend. They were still discussing by the time Erwin was pulling out his keys at the doorstep of the townhouse dorm, squinting under the dim porch light to find the right one.

“Petra’s so big on looks, though. She ditches them if they’re not hot enough. I’m still not sure why she chose this guy when she has, like, ten other sexy ones waiting on her,” Levi sighed, rubbing his hands together. It had gotten chillier with nighttime.

“Maybe she’s found something deeper that draws her to him?” Erwin suggested, pushing the door open to find the apartment pitch black.

“I dunno. At least they never run out of topics to talk about. They’re always arguing about something.”

Erwin smiled back at him as he pulled off his shoes. “Kind of like us?”

Levi pressed his lips together. “I guess. But we don’t actually argue.”

“I think communication is an important part of a relationship, so maybe bantering is a good thing for them.”

“Hmm, better than just stewing in anger. And better than getting bored of each other.”

“Yes, especially if they’re planning to stay together long-term.” Levi nodded thoughtfully. “So I guess Mike is at Nana’s place,” Erwin said as he flicked on the living room light.

“I figured.” Levi flopped on the couch, dropping his wallet and keys and can of tea on the table so that he could lie down comfortably.

“What do you want to do?” Erwin asked. He leaned over the back of the sofa, dangling his bag of tea in Levi’s direct line of sight. “I can make us some green tea. Or black tea, if you’d prefer that. And then we can watch Netflix, or just lie around for a bit.”

“Erwin.” Levi thrust out his hand, and the blond gave him the bag with a questioning look. Levi put the tea on the table beside the rest of his stuff and held his arms open. When Erwin just continued staring at him, he said exasperatedly, “Come here.” The big dolt stepped around the side of the couch, then stood there, frowning.

“I don’t think there’s enough space there for both of us.”

Levi rolled his eyes and made grabby motions with his hands. “Lie on top of me, then.”

"Lie—” Erwin blinked, taking another hesitant step forward. “I’ll crush you.”

“Fine, then I’ll lie on top of you.” Levi sat up and grabbed Erwin’s arm, pulling him down. The latter awkwardly stretched out on his back, his shoulders boosted up by the gently sloping armrests, only his feet hanging off the edge.

“Okay. Now what?” Erwin asked, still frowning.

“You are such an idiot,” Levi sighed. He spread himself over Erwin, knees straddling his waist. “Now, we make out.” He watched Erwin’s eyes widen in realization before swooping down, dipping his tongue into the blond’s mouth without preamble.

Erwin inhaled sharply, his hands coming up to span Levi's back, gently stroking as their tongues tangled in wet slides. The sucking sounds of their lips, the soft breaths that they sighed against each other, made heat collect at the pit of Levi’s stomach. Fire began spreading through his body at an alarming rate, his nerve endings lighting up, making his skin hypersensitive. Between kisses, he desperately sucked in air to keep from swooning in light-headedness, but so up close, the smell of fabric softener and Erwin's skin—was that cologne? oh, God—washed up his nose and straight into his brain, turning his mind to mush.

"Erwin," he whispered, already embarrassingly aroused. Erwin shuddered under him, tongue effortlessly playing all the sensitive spots in Levi's mouth as if he'd been doing it for years, as if that mouth belonged to him. His right hand slipped beneath Levi's shirt to rub circles on the smaller man's back, left hand cupping his neck and occasionally scratching at his undercut.

Levi was struggling to keep a hold of his composure, one arm anchoring him in place while the other caressed Erwin's shoulders, his bulging biceps, and then his rock-solid chest. He groped those pecs with as much restraint as he could muster, fingers rubbing around to make Erwin's nipples hard. In the state Levi was in, he could probably come a little just from seeing them poke out of Erwin's thin sweater.

His legs were shaky, but he rose on his knees to give himself better leverage to stick his tongue down Erwin's throat, back arching downwards to keep their lower bodies as close as possible. His ass stuck out in the air, something that Erwin definitely noticed, because the blond let out a small groan before his big hand migrated south. Strong fingers petted Levi’s ass for a moment, and then without warning, squeezed around a perky cheek. Levi jerked and whimpered into Erwin's mouth, hips instinctively snapping down. His erection accidentally brushed against Erwin's, and Levi’s knees buckled. Embarrassing, but this was too much, too much for a guy who'd never been touched like this before.

He collapsed on the blond's body, hips twitching uncontrollably, seeking friction. When his cock aligned with Erwin's, he began to rut, their kisses regressing to open-mouthed panting against each other's mouths. Erwin's left hand joined his right on Levi's ass, rubbing and stroking and pressing down so that they could grind against each other.

"Erwin," Levi moaned. "F-Fuck me."

Erwin froze underneath him. His voice was irritatingly steady when he murmured, "No, Levi."

"Why not?" Levi almost whined. He lifted his head just enough to separate from Erwin, slitting his eyes open. His hips continued rolling against his boyfriend's in circles. Erwin's mouth was hanging open, his breaths harsh, but his gaze wasn't as hazy as Levi would have expected.

"It's not that I don't want to," Erwin said huskily. "But not today."

"B-But I'm ready—"

"You're not," Erwin said firmly. "We are going to take at least a few days of preparation time before I penetrate you with anything other than my fingers."

Levi let out an excited, high-pitched noise at that, throwing his head back. "Your f-fingers then, gimme your fingers."

Erwin moaned. "You drive me crazy when you talk like that, Levi," he whispered, punctuating his confession with an abrupt upward thrust, making them both shiver. "Y-You want my fingers?"

"Yeah, yeah, fingers," Levi gasped. Erwin’s gaze raked over him from quivering eyelashes to flushed chest, where the collar of his shirt was gaping open. Only his back was naked, clothes having ridden up almost to his shoulders, but Erwin’s loving, awed scrutiny made him feel completely nude. "Fingers," Levi repeated, lips red and swollen.

"A-All right," Erwin acquiesced.

Levi was suddenly in the air, cradled in Erwin’s arms as the blond wobbled to his feet. He wrapped his legs around Erwin’s waist and took the opportunity to suck marks into his neck as they began heading for Erwin’s room.

As soon as Levi was carefully sat on the bed, he quickly moved to pull his shirt off, not forgetting to fold it even now. Erwin watched him with puppy eyes, as if Levi was a beautiful, precious creature, when really he was just your average potty-mouthed brat.

“What?” Levi said quietly, deviousness playing on his lips. “Like what you see?” He leaned back, knowing that his abdominal muscles were rippling, and fingered the hem of his jeans. Erwin gulped, his eyes round, then nudged Levi aside and joined him on the mattress. He reached over the smaller man into the bedside drawer and snatched out a brand new bottle of lube.

The sight of it was oddly jarring, a little too real. Levi’s fingers paused on the fly of his jeans.

“Wait,” he said.

Erwin immediately dropped the lube, facing him with a worried look. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong—”

“Do you want to stop? We absolutely don’t have to do anything if you're not ready, Levi.” Erwin took his hand, thumb brushing over the back of it, and Levi thought of all the trashy movies and soap operas he’d ever watched. He thought of how that line was always being thrown around as a cheap reassurance, an age-old ploy of pretending to let go a little so your prey would feel like they were making an autonomic decision. But it was obvious that Erwin meant it. Levi could see it just from the way his eyes became more blue than black.

“Not that,” Levi said, clearing his throat. “But would you mind if I, uh, took a quick shower first? We’ve been out all day...it’ll take five minutes tops.”

“Oh,” Erwin said, brow smoothing. “Well, I don’t mind at all if you don’t shower, but if it makes you more comfortable, be my guest.”

“Ah. Yeah. I’d be more at ease that way. Um, I don’t mind if you don’t shower, though. It’s just me,” he said, averting his gaze. Erwin smiled with his eyes and relaxed back against the bed, folding his arms behind his head.

“All right. I’ll just stay here and pleasure read while I wait for you then,” he said, picking up the lube bottle.

“Okay.” Levi hopped to his feet and walked backwards towards the door, eyeing Erwin who was actually skimming the lube ingredients. What a dork. “You’d better not get started without me,” he warned. “Don’t even take your shirt off.”

Erwin laughed and shooed at him. “I won’t. I promise.”

“Good. You dick.” And Levi dashed for the washroom.

He was naked and under the hot stream in record time. Shampooing and rinsing together took thirty seconds at most, and then he grabbed the bottle of body wash, snapping open the cap. Erwin’s smell filled the shower stall. Well, damn, his ass was going to smell like Erwin, then. That was both weird and hot at the same time.

He scrubbed hurriedly at his body, leaving the best and worst part for last. Bracing a hand on the wall, he smeared his middle finger in body wash and reached back, poking at his hole. Gritting his teeth, he pushed in, wiggling his finger around. It didn’t hurt, exactly, but having something go into his asshole as opposed to out was one of the most awkward sensations he’d ever experienced. Uncomfortable, but also kind of exhilarating. With steady breaths, he rinsed his finger of soap under the steaming water, then pushed it back in a few more times to get the body wash out of there too. Shit, the things he did for Erwin.

By the time he was completely dried off, his erection had calmed to a manageable semi, so pulling on his boxer briefs and jeans wasn’t too much trouble. Quickly towelling off his hair, he stepped into Erwin’s room to find him lying on the bed in the exact same position.

“Hi,” Erwin said, raising his head. “That was fast.”

“Yeah,” Levi huffed. He walked over and clambered over Erwin’s legs, crawling up his body to get nice and close to his face again. “I had a needy boyfriend waiting in bed for me. Duty calls, you know.”

Erwin’s eyebrows shot up, hands lifting to stroke the back of Levi’s thighs. “Oh, _I’m_ the needy one, am I?”

“Yup,” Levi smirked, and pecked him on the mouth. “Now sit up so I can take your sweater off, you fat lard.”

Erwin grinned at him, shaking his head, but he obeyed. “My boyfriend is so romantic.”

“You know it.” Levi tugged and Erwin lifted his arms to let him pull the shirt off. Folding it and stacking it on top of his own shirt, the smaller man then turned back to admire Erwin’s revealed torso, which he was seeing naked for the first time. He scooted back on to Erwin’s legs to take it all in, but the blond’s arms wound around him, not letting him go too far. “How much can you bench?” Levi wondered, running his hands over Erwin’s chest and abs.

“Hmm,” Erwin sighed, eyes twinkling. “I suppose you’ll find out when we work out together tomorrow.”

Levi tsk’d. “Coy bastard. By the way, speaking of tomorrow, I texted Kenny to let him know I’d be staying over tonight and hanging with you tomorrow too. If you’re okay with me staying, anyway.”

“Of course,” Erwin smiled. “No need to ask. When did you even text him?”

“While you were in the theatre bathroom.”

“...So you were already planning to jump me then.”

“Yup,” Levi gloated, his canines glinting.

“You’re going to be the death of me,” Erwin groaned, burying his face in Levi’s neck.

“That’s not the worst way to die, I can tell you that,” Levi said, quirking a brow. “Okay, less talk, more stripping.”

“Yessir.”

Erwin briefly released Levi to plant his hands behind himself, feet flat on the bed to lift his hips, and Levi tugged down his pants as he shimmied backwards. His jaw dropped when he saw the bulge in Erwin’s white briefs.

“Wh-What?” Erwin asked, knees moving to snap shut, but Levi held them open.

“What do you mean _what_?” Levi spluttered. “You can’t just—okay, first of all, are those tighty-whities?”

“Y-Yes? I like the support they provide.”

“Oh, God. Okay, second: is that—is that your dick?” he demanded, voice getting pitchier.

The colour of Erwin’s face was identical to a firetruck’s. “Well, based on what I learned in anatomy class—”

Levi gawked. “Jesus fuck, are you even hard right now?” he squeaked.

“A-A little?”

“Holy shit.” He sat back, stunned. “No wonder you wanted to prep me.”

“Yeah...” Erwin said sheepishly. His kicked-puppy eyes made Levi feel guilty, but it wasn’t his fault the guy had a fucking monster cock. Was it as thick around as his wrist? Fuck, he was going to get destroyed.

For some twisted reason, the thought made a shiver run up his spine.

“Fine,” Levi said resolutely. Erwin glanced up at him, looking like he was bracing himself for rejection. “Now that I’ve seen what we’re gonna be working with, this’ll be a lot more fun.”

“Fun?” Erwin echoed. “You think so?”

“Duh,” Levi said, smirking widely. “I’d be bored without a bit of a challenge.”

Erwin’s cheeks swelled in a smile, but it died as quickly as it came. “Levi, I know this will be hard—”

“Ha, yeah, hard, get it?”

Erwin ignored him. “—and I don’t want you to force yourself. Sex isn’t limited to only the penetrative kind. Or you could do me, if that would make things easier.”

Levi blinked. Well, he hadn’t thought of that. “Do you _want_ me to fuck you?”

Erwin gnawed on his lip. “...To be honest, having something up my butt isn’t the most attractive thought, but I’d do it if you wanted to.”

“Oh. Well, no worries then, because I like getting fucked better than fucking. Not that I have any experience. But, you know, just from imagining it.” The relief was so clear on Erwin’s face that Levi snickered. “Don’t worry, we’ll get Commander Fat Dick over there inside my ass soon enough. Now stop freaking out and come here.”

The smile that had faded bloomed again, stronger than ever. Erwin looked like a little boy who’d just been given candy, except he...hadn’t. Apparently, sticking his fingers in Levi’s ass was comparable to being given free candy. Well, Levi shouldn’t be surprised; he knew he was pretty fucking awesome, after all.

“Let me take your pants off,” Erwin urged. Levi shrugged, leaning back and lifting his hips. Erwin slid down the zipper of his fly, lingering for an unnecessary second and brushing against him. Levi flinched.

“Asshole.”

Erwin shot him a cheeky grin, then pulled the remainder of Levi’s clothes off, pants and boxer briefs and socks all at once. He licked his lips and abruptly took Levi’s erection in his warm, calloused palm.

“Mn!” Levi immediately clamped down on his lip with his teeth, falling back on the bed. His thigh muscles flexed helplessly as Erwin slowly played with his dick, loosely fisting and casually circling a thumb over the head. The dark-haired man panted for air. At this rate, he was going to come embarrassingly quickly, especially with how pent-up he’d been for the last couple of weeks. Mustering up a thread of self-control, he batted Erwin’s hand away and rolled onto his stomach, propping himself up on his hands and knees. He stared at Erwin over his shoulder with half-lidded eyes. “Prep me, big guy.”

Erwin swallowed, blushing red all the way down to the top of his chest. Levi turned back around and waited as he fumbled with the lube. There was a telltale squish as Erwin warmed the gel between his fingers, and then his left hand was comfortingly stroking Levi’s ass cheek. “Ready?” Levi nodded.

Erwin squeezed his cheek once, then gently parted the twin globes, his slippery middle finger brushing back and forth against Levi’s hole. He slowly pushed in as Levi tried to keep himself relaxed, and it wasn’t all that new other than how Erwin’s finger was slightly thicker than his own. He took in calm breaths as Erwin thrust shallowly in and out, the pad of his digit caressing Levi’s walls.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Levi nodded. “Give me another.”

“Already?” He could hear the frown in Erwin’s voice. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. C’mon.”

“All right.” Erwin withdrew, smeared more lube on both his index and middle fingers, then prodded at Levi’s hole again.

This time, the fit was much tighter. The ring of muscle swallowed up to Erwin’s second knuckle before Levi let out a whimper.

“Levi—”

“Keep going,” he bit out. “Doesn’t hurt, just feels weird. Don’t stop.”

He heard Erwin exhale a long breath out his nose, and then gently and gradually, felt himself fill up. He sighed when Erwin stopped.

“T-They all in?”

“Yes.”

“’Kay. You can move.”

“It still feels really tight, though.”

“I’m fine, just move.”

His walls burned a little as Erwin’s fingers twisted in and out, even with all the lube they had used. The discomfort was still there, but the longer Erwin thrust, the more Levi loosened, and the friction started to feel pleasurable. Sweat was collecting all over his body, his breaths sounding loud in his own ears.

“Feeling better now?” Erwin’s voice came from behind, soft and soothing.

“Mm, yeah,” Levi moaned.

“Good. I’m going to try something then.”

He could only let out a questioning noise before Erwin drove his fingers all the way in, and then curled them downwards. The jolt of pleasure that shot straight to Levi’s dick made him cry out and jerk forward as his arms collapsed under him.

“Was that all right?” Erwin sounded like he’d been punched in the gut even though he was the one doing the fingering. Levi nodded frantically, and Erwin did it again.

He panted, mouth wide open, pushing his hips back into Erwin’s fingers. “Ah, s-so good...”

Erwin continued to hit his prostate with each thrust, but he wasn’t being rough enough; the pressure was making Levi’s cock drip, but he needed more, more, harder. Right when he was thinking of reaching down and touching himself, just to relieve the horrible, delicious tension building in his balls, Erwin seemed to sense what he needed. A large hand wrapped around his leaking erection and fisted tightly, no longer teasing. The combined assault on his dick and prostate made white burst in Levi’s vision, his eyes rolling to the back of his skull. He distantly heard himself cry out, staccato ah-ah-ah’s ripping apart the syllables of Erwin’s name.

When he came to, he was lying on his back, the blond running a warm, damp towel over his stomach, thighs, and swollen asshole. He licked his lips and croaked, “I told you it would be fun.”

Erwin laughed, tossing the towel into his laundry hamper at the far corner of the room. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. Or so I’m assuming.” He looked down at Levi with mushy fondness in his eyes and cupped his cheek, his thumb brushing over Levi’s eyelids. The dark-haired man basked in the warmth for a bit before his attention dropped to Erwin’s crotch, which still held a very prominent bulge.

Levi propped himself up on his elbows. “I wanna suck your dick.”

Erwin’s erection twitched, but his lips pressed into a line. “No, you should get some rest. This will go away soon.”

“Like fuck I’m just gonna let it go to waste,” Levi snapped, getting on all fours again and shoving Erwin to his back, then swiftly tearing off his briefs. Erwin sucked in a sharp breath, and Levi grinned. “Fuck, you're a beast. But that's okay, because I’ve been reading up on blowjob tips just for you, Commander,” he cooed at Erwin’s cock, which swelled at the feeling of his hot breath.

“Oh my God,” Erwin whispered, covering his face with both hands. “Please don’t tell me that’s what you’re calling my penis from now on.”

“At first I thought you seemed like a commander, but my eyes have been opened to the true commander here among us,” Levi said with mock wide eyes.

“Oh my God,” Erwin repeated, his laugh sounding like a sob. “I think I—ah!” he suddenly shouted, his hips instinctively bucking, but Levi had a concrete grip on him. “Jesus!”

Levi resisted the urge to outright laugh, which would be difficult to do considering how he’d just unceremoniously stuffed his mouth with cock. He sucked hard, making sure his lips covered his teeth, tongue rubbing beneath the foreskin. Erwin’s legs twitched, spreading wider as he moaned.

Just fitting the tip in Levi’s mouth was stretching his jaw beyond what was comfortable, but he slowly sank down, trying to take in as much as he could. He fisted whatever he couldn’t fit, silently resenting how his fingers didn’t even circle all the way around. Seriously, like, what the fuck? You can’t be smoking hot and smart and have a huge dick all at once. Life was so unfair.

Levi alternated between sucking on the head and making sad attempts at deep-throating, which he gave himself a mental pat on the back for since it was probably physically impossible to deep-throat Erwin anyway. At least, without some serious training. He’d get there eventually.

Erwin was groaning like a dying animal above him, one hand making a mess of Levi’s hair, but gentle nonetheless, and the other gripping the headboard of the bed. The sounds he was making, along with the salty taste of cock in Levi’s mouth, the searing warmth and veiny texture of it, were arousing him more than he’d admit. As Erwin ran his hand over Levi’s bulging cheeks, reveling in the way his lips were stretched around Erwin’s massive girth, the smaller man felt his face begin to heat, a fire reawakening in his belly. But it was too soon for him to get hard again, and honestly, he probably would’ve been too tired to deal with a second erection, in any case.

“Levi,” Erwin moaned. “I-I’m gonna come.”

Levi squeezed his thigh in response, sucking hard, adding a twist with his hand. He looked up to watch the way Erwin threw his head back, his knuckles white against the headboard as he came with a stuttered gasp, all the muscles in his body clenching. Bitter fluid shot into Levi’s mouth, and because he was prepared, he was able to quickly swallow to avoid getting any on the sheets. His mouth released Erwin’s dick with a pop, and then he lapped at it with soft kitten licks to clean it off. Erwin melted into the bed, shuddering from hypersensitivity.

Levi flopped down beside his boyfriend, burying his face in the smatter of blond curls on that ripped chest. A heavy arm was immediately thrown over his middle, drawing him closer. “Good?” he asked.

Erwin grunted. “Tell me where you found those blowjob tips, because I am impressed.”

He snorted. “I’m just talented. Also, you’re all sweaty now.”

“Mmm, does that bother you?” Erwin mumbled, sounding halfway to la-la-land already. “Want me to go shower?”

“Nah,” Levi sighed, snuggling closer. “It actually kinda turns me on. And I don’t want you to move right now.”

Erwin chuckled, the rumble vibrating against Levi’s nose. “Then I won’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chap: a short extra


	5. Extra: Fluff, Lust, and True Love?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An extra that takes place during Erwin and Levi's date from Chapter 4: snapshots from their shopping trip in downtown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: gave myself cavities writing this im sorry kinda not really

“Fuck!” Levi almost shouted. The sudden, frantic squeaking of shoes against linoleum warned him before Erwin popped into view at the aisle entrance, having come running from a few lanes down where he’d been checking out drying racks. (Levi had scolded him for hanging his underwear out on the balcony where everyone could see. And steal. Which had happened more than once. Erwin suspected it was the girl living two dorms down from him.)

The blond skidded to a stop in front of Levi, his arms uselessly outstretched like he didn't know where to touch to make sure the latter was okay. He scanned Levi up and down before glancing around. “What’s wrong?"

“The bleach is on sale!” Levi wailed, stabbing a finger at the price tag beneath a jumbo tub of bleach. Erwin gaped at it for a bit, then let out a whoosh of breath, relieved.

“Uh, isn’t that a good thing?”

“I don’t want to buy too much and have to carry around a bunch of crap all day though,” Levi whined. Erwin looked down at the shorter man’s armful of stuff.

“Er.”

Levi followed his gaze, then blinked. When had he accumulated such a collection? Awkward. “Um. So I might’ve gotten a little overexcited.”

“Maybe a little,” Erwin teased, and took half of his pile. “Don’t worry about buying too much. We can pay for it and leave it here, then come back to pick it up after the movie.”

Oh. Well, that was a good idea. Jesus fuck, his boyfriend was an absolute angel. Levi stared up at Erwin with shiny eyes. How was he so smart and handsome and considerate all at the same time? “Did it hurt?” Levi blurted out.

Erwin frowned. “Did what hurt?”

“When you—When—” He bit his tongue, cutting himself off at the sudden realization that he’d just been about to use a stupid pick-up line, on someone he’d technically already picked up, no less. And cheesiness was _so_ not his thing. He was too cool for that. “Nothing,” he grumbled, grabbing the bleach and moving on.

“Hold on, Levi, what were you going to say?” Erwin prodded, trailing behind him.

“Forget it.”

"But—"

"It was nothing."

Levi sweat bullets as Erwin stayed uncharacteristically quiet. But he should've known that the blond wouldn't have given up so easily. “...Wait a minute," Erwin mulled. "Wait juuuust a minute. That line...actually sounds kind of familiar...” Levi stopped in his tracks, making Erwin bump into him. “Whoa, why did you stop?”

Levi turned to his big, silly boyfriend. “Erwin,” he said in a tone like he was trying to calm a wild animal. “Forget about it. I was just...not thinking for a mome—”

“Levi,” Erwin interrupted, his face starting to split into that glowing smile Levi had come to know and lo—hate. He hated it. “Were you going to ask me if it hurt when I fell from heaven?”

Levi gritted his teeth. The longer the silence dragged on, the wider Erwin’s smile got, until it began to reach maximum rainbows-and-butterflies capacity. Levi whirled around and bolted toward the cash registers.

“Wait, Levi! Don’t be shy!”

“Oh my fucking God, just let it go!”

“Come on, ask me, okay? I’ll pretend I didn’t figure it out, so ask me again, all right?”

“No, fuck you!”

* * *

“Go try this on,” Levi commanded, shoving a pile of dress shirts into Erwin’s chest.

“But I don’t need more dress shirts.”

He scoffed, putting his hands on his hips. “Please. As a future lawyer, you can never have too many dress shirts. And the good thing about them is that you can pretty much wear them anywhere.”

“I suppose...”

Levi shooed him towards the changing rooms, hiding a smirk. This was probably going to be the best part of his day. “Don’t forget to come out and show me.”

Erwin rolled his eyes fondly. “Yes, mother.”

The first shirt was pitch black, fitted so that it hugged Erwin’s pecs and showed off his flat tummy. “Levi, isn’t this a little tight?” Erwin asked, looking down and then back at the mirror.

“Huh?” Levi said, eyes glued to Erwin’s chest. “What. No. Uh, come here.” Erwin shuffled over and the shorter man reached up to undo the first two buttons. The divide between Erwin’s pecs peeked out.

Fuck, Levi could practically feel his blood pressure rising.

“Nice,” he stammered, biting his lip. “Turn around.” The back was just as snug as the front. “Um. Nice,” he repeated. “Next shirt.”

“Really?” Erwin glanced over his shoulder. “You’re sure it’s not too tight?”

“Uh huh.”

“All right, I’ll trust your judgment.” Levi grunted in affirmation and placed a hand on Erwin’s shoulder to shove him back into the changing room, but those muscles rolled beneath his palm, and heat immediately bloomed in his stomach. When Erwin was finally behind the curtain again, Levi took a deep, meditative breath. He had to get his shit together.

The next four shirts passed without incident, and Levi breathed a sigh of relief when he got through the last one. Maybe making his boyfriend prance around in tight shirts hadn't been a great idea when he was so pent-up. He plopped down on one of the nearby couches beside a teenage girl scrolling through her phone and waited for Erwin to come out.

“Um, Levi?” Erwin’s voice drifted from behind the curtain.

“What?” Levi called back.

“Are you sure you want me to try this on?” he asked slowly.

Levi’s brows drew together. Had he forgotten about one? “Sure, I guess.”

Erwin went silent for a moment, and then he squeaked a quiet “okay”, before the curtain rustled open.

Levi froze in his seat. He did not know where that shirt had come from, because he certainly had not chosen it, not that he was complaining. His eyes round as saucers, he raked his gaze up and down Erwin’s torso, unsure whether to laugh like a psycho or squirm in arousal.

It was a black, long-sleeved mesh shirt, a fishnet pattern one would expect to see on stockings clinging to Erwin’s skin, his shoulder and arm muscles bulging in the material. Other than mesh, only thin strips of black cloth lined the cutting of the shirt. Levi licked his lips at Erwin’s pathetically covered nipples, his light sprinkling of chest hair, and the deep lines of his six-pack. Beside him, he heard the teenage girl drop her phone and gasp, and knew that her ovaries were likely bursting right at that moment.

Erwin stood there nervously, arms hanging at his sides, his ears red. “I’m guessing this shirt got mixed into the pile.”

“Mm-hm,” Levi gulped. “Hey, hook your thumbs in your pockets.”

Erwin looked at him in apprehension, hair falling into his right eye, but he obeyed. “Like this?”

“Mmm, yes. Stay there. Don’t move.” Without taking his eyes off of Erwin, Levi groped into his back pocket, seizing his phone and swiping for the camera. “Look at me.” Erwin turned helpless, doggy eyes on him. “No, not like that.” With Levi’s mounting sexual frustration came an utter abandon for his surroundings, and he threw away his common sense because if you’re gonna do it, you might as well see it through. Completely forgetting about the presence of the girl next to him, he leveled hard eyes on Erwin, hissing, “Look at me like you want to pin me to the wall and fuck me until I don’t know my own name anymore.”

The unsuspecting, stunned way Erwin’s mouth dropped open almost made Levi lose his nerve, call it all off as some kind of an elaborate joke—but then Erwin’s jaw snapped shut and something in the air shifted. Levi was abruptly reminded of the controlled, poised Erwin from that courtroom, now more primal, more predatory, scorching instead of freezing. The room seemed to shrink as the blond straightened almost imperceptibly, his stance widening, chin lowering and blown pupils lidding to bore right into Levi. There was something about the way his expression darkened and settled that made the lines of his face sharper, the ceiling spotlights creating dancing shadows under his eyes and along the tongue he swiped across his top teeth. The mesh shirt suddenly looked like it belonged to him.

Arousal swirled in Levi’s gut, and as he sighed out a shaky breath, his thumb accidentally flinched over the capture button.

The loud ka-chak snapped them both out of their dazes.

Erwin blinked once, twice, and then his face exploded in redness, which made Levi’s own start burning. They stared at each other for a moment, and then Erwin spluttered something along the lines of paying for the clothes before scurrying back into his cubicle.

Levi melted like an octopus into the couch, all his pent-up tension draining. He glanced beside him to see the girl with her mouth stuck open, which gave him an odd sense of déjà vu. “Hot, isn’t he,” he remarked, not smug for once, but simply in wonder. She nodded mutely.

 

(They didn't get the shirt, to Levi's disappointment and relief.)

* * *

“Oh, Levi, look at all this black tea! Isn’t this your favourite brand of Earl Grey?”

Levi took the can from him, scanning it over. “Yeah, it is. Man, they have, like, everything here.”

They had wandered into a small, family-owned tea shop, where shelves upon shelves of tea leaves were packaged in beautifully decorated cans for sale. An entire wall was dedicated to black tea, half a wall to green tea, and the rest was a variety of fruity, flowery, exotic stuff that Levi had never tried before. After the owner had given them a couple of delicious black tea samples, he’d decided immediately that this would become one of his most beloved stores, second only to Mr. Brown’s Cleaning Supplies.

“Erwin, try this green tea,” Levi said, handing Erwin a small plastic cup. Erwin blew on it then sipped carefully. Levi waited with crossed arms.

“This is probably one of the most aromatic green teas I have ever had the pleasure of tasting,” Erwin remarked, smacking his lips.

Levi smirked. “You like it?”

He nodded, sipping some more.

“Okay, I’ll buy it then. Too bad this black tea is so expensive, otherwise I’d get it too. Seems like top-notch stuff.”

“You’re not getting the black tea?”

“Nah, too expensive,” Levi replied, putting the can back on the shelf.

“What?” Erwin said. “But you’re buying green tea? You don’t even like green tea that much.”

“Yeah, but green tea is way cheaper, and you like it. We can drink it together when I go to your place or something.”

Erwin’s lips pressed into a flat line, his eyebrows scrunching up. He reached past Levi and grabbed the can of black tea, popped it open to make sure he’d gotten an unsampled one, then began stalking towards the back of the store. Levi stared after him.

“Erwin, what are you doing?” he asked as Erwin fished out his wallet and passed his credit card to the owner.

“I’m buying this for you.”

Levi followed him, standing behind him and frowning when he saw the numbers lighting up on the cash register. “You really don’t have to. I could afford it myself if I wanted it.”

“I know,” Erwin replied. “Can I get a small bag? Thanks. Have a wonderful day.” He faced Levi, holding out the dark green bag that had printed on it a pair of white and blue wings, mirroring the design on the tin can inside. Levi took it from him, bringing it to his chest. “A present. To commemorate our second date.”

Levi exhaled loudly through his nose, cocking an eyebrow. “Never knew second dates were apparently so important. I hope you don’t plan on getting something to commemorate every date, because that would be a total waste of money and space.”

Erwin laughed. “Well, I wouldn’t necessarily be opposed to filling up my dorm with things that reminded me of you.”

Levi scowled as deeply as he could manage. “Ugh, you're disgusting. Okay, so I’m gonna pay for this and then we can get going.”

“Sure.”

When Levi was done, he found Erwin outside shielding his eyes from the sinking sun as he gazed up at the looming clock tower in the distance. “All done?” Erwin said when he noticed him. Levi nodded.

“Here’s your green tea,” he said, thrusting out a bag that was identical to his.

“I’ll treasure it,” Erwin said, taking it with a smile. “We’ll drink it together, and then when it’s all gone, I’ll put things like embarrassing photos of us in the can. Or better yet, embarrassing childhood photos of you.”

Levi's mouth dropped in horror. “Oh my fucking God, I am never letting you anywhere near our photo albums.”

“So that means you do have embarrassing childhood photos lying around somewhere!” Erwin exclaimed. Levi just groaned. “So how hungry are you feeling? Want to get some dinner?”

“Yeah, okay.” He sighed. And made a mental note to hide away any pictures he still had at home.

Erwin grinned as if he knew what Levi was thinking. “Where to, then?”

“I dunno.” He looked around. “I don’t come to this area often. How ‘bout we just go into the first decent place we see?”

“All right, sounds good.” They began following the crowd, sticking close to each other so that they didn’t get separated, squeezing past groups of rowdy teenagers, gossipy housewives, and giggling couples.

“Erwin,” Levi said, raising his voice to be heard.

“Yes?”

“Thanks.”

Erwin graced him with a soft smile and didn’t ask what Levi meant, because he was smart and probably already knew. “You’re very welcome.”

* * *

The Mexican fast food grill was a surprisingly classy place for cuisine lumped in the same category as McDonald’s or Burger King. Not that Levi didn't appreciate McDonald's, but dim lights and fireplaces were just too cool.

Erwin had already finished his burrito and was sitting back, relaxed, eyes dancing in amusement as he watched Levi munch on the last of his taco.

“You’re gonna make me fat,” Levi groused. “Too much good food today.”

“At least we’ve been walking around the whole day too,” Erwin pointed out.

“Ughh, I guess.”

The blond straightened in his seat. “Say, what do you think of working out with me tomorrow? I didn’t get to go yesterday so I’m a bit overdue, and some company would be nice.”

OoOOH, getting to see his hunk of a boyfriend working out? As if Levi would say no.

“Sure,” he said, feigning nonchalance. “You go to the campus gym?”

“Yes. Do you have a membership?”

“Yup.”

“Good,” Erwin said. He leaned his chin on steepled fingers, and Levi thought of those fingers wrapped around a barbell as hard muscles worked to prevent the weight from crushing him.

No, stop it, penis. He was eating. This was not the time. Shit, he really needed to jerk off tonight or something because it had been a while and he was getting hard at every little thing.

A few seconds of emptiness ensued as the ending notes of a rock song playing in the background drifted to a close, sucked back into surround-sound speakers. In the brief quiet, Levi was about to offer Erwin a bite of his taco, worried that the larger man wouldn’t be full from a single burrito, even if it had been a bulky one filled with brown rice. But then a chorus of piano and soft percussion that Levi recognized all too well opened into the air, filling the restaurant. A heart-wrenching tenor crooned, the type of voice that could mesmerize a full room. 

_“Guess it’s true, I’m not good at a one-night stand._

_“But I still need love ‘cause I’m just a man."_

“Do you know this song?” Erwin asked, and Levi realized that he'd been unconsciously swaying.

_"These nights never seem to go to plan._

_"I don’t want you to leave, will you hold my hand?"_

He resumed his chewing, glancing at Erwin over his taco. “You don’t?”  

_“Oh, won’t you stay with me?”_

“I do.”   

_"'Cause you’re all I need.”_

Levi hummed. “You seem like the type to like cheesy love ballads."

_“That ain’t love, it’s clear to see.”_

Erwin smiled, his cheeks dimpling as if he was biting on the inside of them.

_"But darling, stay with me.”_

“You don't like them?"

_"Why am I so emotional?"_

Levi stared at him for a long moment, before he muttered, "No." 

_"No, it's not a good look, gain some self-control."_

"It seems to me that you like this one, though.”

_"And deep down I know this never works."_

A corner of Levi’s mouth twitched up, and his eyes lidded as he watched Erwin.

_"But you can lay with me so it doesn't hurt."_

“I’m too cool to be consumed by all this obsession that they sing about.”

_“Oh, won’t you stay with me?_

_"’Cause you’re all I need.”_

“Hm,” Erwin agreed, content and at peace. “You are.”

_“That ain’t love, it’s clear to see._

_But darling, stay with me.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> song was Sam Smith's "Stay with Me"
> 
> thanks for reading! comments are gently caressed and sung lullabies


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *chortles*

Levi was a pretty light sleeper. Not so light that he could be easily awoken in the dead of night, but enough that a small noise or the barest movement in his surroundings at around the time he usually got up would snap him awake. So when his elephant of a boyfriend flopped an arm over him and drew him to his naked chest the next morning, Levi’s eyes immediately shot open.

The first thing he noticed was that it was hot. And not in the good way.

He peeked up at Erwin, whose stubbly face was half smothered in his pillow, still snoring softly. The morning light, dim from behind dense storm clouds that had blown in late last night, gave few clues to the time. Levi rolled over carefully, not wanting to jostle Erwin in case it was still early. He grabbed his phone from the bedside table, which he’d picked up from the living room last night after their lazy cuddle session.

8:46 a.m. That was later than he was used to, save for the previous morning when he’d woken late due to his...dreams. Which had half become reality last night, mmm.

“Erwin,” Levi whispered, turning under the blond’s heavy arm. He poked him in the cheek. “I’m gonna go take a shower.”

No response. The man’s breathing didn’t even stutter. Levi sighed. He’d forgotten that it always took forever to wake Erwin up. Several times he had fallen asleep while studying with Levi in the kinesiology building, and it usually took at least fifteen minutes of coaxing to actually drag him out of unconsciousness. Goddammit.

“C’mon, wake up,” Levi cajoled. “Don’t you wanna join me in the shower?”

Still nothing. Holy shit, the guy was completely out.

“You're such a pig,” Levi mumbled. He stroked Erwin’s jawline, enjoying the prickle on his fingertips, and marveled at how blond Erwin’s eyelashes were. Then he paused. He grabbed his phone and opened Snapchat, looked into the camera with his characteristic dead-pan expression, and made sure Erwin’s face and bare shoulders were in the background before snapping the photo.

“bae pooped out after servicing the queen,” he typed, and sent it off to madglasses69 and tree_huggerrr. The replies were instantaneous.

Conversation: Hange Zoe, Petra Ral, Levi Ackerman

Petra Ral: OMGOMGOMGOGMG

Hange Zoe: DIDJA FINALLY DO IT

Levi Ackerman: not all the way

Hange Zoe: HANDIE? BLOWIE?

Petra Ral: OMGOMGOGMGMOGMGMOGG

Levi Ackerman: i aint tellin u that, u perv

Petra Ral: CONGRAAAAATSSSS OMGGG

Hange Zoe: how was it. more importantly how was his DICK

Levi Ackerman: i named it commander

Hange Zoe: HOLY SHIIIIIIIIT that good? dayum son

Petra Ral: OF COURSE HE’S GOOD, HAVE U EVEN SEEN HIM? HE IS THE EMBODIMENT OF SEX APPEAL

Levi Ackerman: he was cute. and gentle

Hange Zoe: gross i can hear u gushing from all the way over here

Petra Ral: PRAISE OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR ERWIN SMITH, DEITY OF ALL THINGS HOT BUT MOSTLY OF MANLY MAN MUSCLES

Levi Ackerman: i might become religious just for him

Petra Ral: YES, LET US ALL BE SMITHISTS

Hange Zoe: ok ho, undo the calamity that is ur mammaries

Levi Ackerman: lol

Petra Ral: omg i saw that post on tumblr, it was hilarious

Hange Zoe: ikr i fav’d it. but anyway back to commander. so im assuming u stayed the night at his place

Levi Ackerman: yeah it was fun

Hange Zoe: ill bet ;)

Petra Ral: give us the deeets

Levi Ackerman: actually i was just about to go shower

Petra Ral: awwww! :’(

Levi Ackerman: yeah so ill ttyl. petra tell me about ur date later

Petra Ral: aye aye, captain!

Hange Zoe: ugh just msged us to gloat huh

Levi Ackerman: sharing is caring

Hange Zoe: watever bitch cya have fun

Levi Ackerman: bye

Levi dropped his phone back on the table and quietly eased himself out of bed.

Ten minutes later, freshly showered and wearing only his boxer briefs, he came back to find Erwin still sprawled on his stomach, the comforter only barely covering his ass. He huffed in amusement and went for Erwin’s phone, which the blond had left beside Levi’s. Hopefully, he’d find a scheduled alarm or something so that he’d know when to wake the moron.

Aaaand jackpot. The lock screen revealed six daily alarm notifications that Erwin had probably muted the night before so they could sleep in.

7:40 – Wake up

7:45 – Time to get out of bed

7:50 – The early bird gets the worm

7:55 – Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise

8:00 – Come on, get out of bed. You can do this

8:05 – Levi would be disappointed

Levi accidentally snorted out loud, but a quick look showed that Erwin was still dead to the world. All right, you know what, maybe it was time to wake Sleeping Beauty.

Levi leaped on to the bed, making his boyfriend lump bounce. He crawled until his face was hovering right above Erwin’s, then tickled the bridge of his nose with an index finger. “Errrrwiiiin,” he sang. “Wakey-wakeyyy.” Erwin’s snores cut off and he rolled on to his back, face tilted away. “Erwin, c’mon. Weren’t we gonna go work out together? Huh?” Levi draped his entire body over the blond, lying flat on him because he just looked so inviting, chin resting on Erwin’s hairy chest. Oh, but this was a nice position. That strong heartbeat thudded against Levi, making him warmer than even the body heat seeping into him from his sleeping giant. Damn, the guy was like a human hot water bottle.

Levi sighed contentedly. He stared up at the smooth, tempting column of Erwin’s neck. Scooting upwards, he brushed his lips against the soft skin, and planted a few kisses on Erwin’s pulse point. Then he sucked at it, tongue flickering. Erwin groaned a little and his hips shifted—and that’s when Levi felt the hard line of the blond’s cock pressing into his thigh. He bit his lip and rose to hands and knees so he could look down. The bulge in Erwin’s briefs made his breath hitch. Saliva collected in his mouth, and he was suddenly hit by an epiphany: what greater way to wake a guy up than with a blow job?

Levi crept backwards, hoping the sudden lack of body heat wouldn’t prematurely wake Erwin since the covers had long since fallen away. He licked his lips as he came face to face with Erwin’s hard-on, then patiently wiggled the briefs all the way off his legs. His treat finally bared, Levi took the half-hard cock in his hand and pumped a few times, watching it swell and lengthen. The redness of the mushroom head reminded him of the shade Erwin would blush whenever he got really worked up. Great, now he was going to think of Erwin’s dick every time the blond’s face went red.

When it was fully hard, curving enticingly into Levi's face, he dropped his tongue out of his mouth and pressed it to the base, then licked a broad stripe up. Erwin’s legs flinched wider open as he sighed, but his eyes stayed closed. Levi did it again. Then he wrapped his lips around the side of the hot, hard flesh, sucking gently before moving on so that not an inch was left dry. The hand not caressing Erwin’s cock gently fondled his balls. The blond moaned above him, hips flexing upward.

Levi continued to tease for the next few minutes, but he was panting before long from how hot the feel of Erwin’s dick against his tongue was making him. Erwin still wasn’t entirely awake, so the dark-haired man decided to pull all the stops. His jaw dropped open to suck the tip into his wet mouth, slowly inching down. Erwin gasped, his hips instinctively snapping up. His cock hit the back of Levi’s throat. Levi choked, not having expected the sudden intrusion, and quickly pulled off, still careful not to scrape his teeth against Erwin’s sensitive skin. His coughing fit had Erwin shooting up, his hair a mess and eyes wild. “Wh—Wha—Levi? Levi, are you okay?” He scrambled on to his knees to rub Levi’s back, who was coughing into his fist. The smaller man held up a finger.

When his coughs finally died down, Levi looked up through watery eyes to see Erwin’s brow scrunched up, his face lined with concern. “Are you all right?”

Levi nodded. “’Morning,” he said hoarsely.

“Good morning. Uh, what’s going on...?” Levi glanced down at Erwin’s wet, rock-hard erection, and the blond followed his gaze before his mouth fell open. He shrank into himself, vaguely trying to cover up his crotch. “U-Um...?” he squeaked, looking up with a plea in his eyes.

Levi leered. “Thought I’d wake you with a blowjob.”

“Oh,” Erwin breathed. “Um. I see. Sorry, did I choke you...?”

“Yeah, but it was my fault anyway, so don’t worry about it. Should’ve held you down since you weren’t exactly awake.”

“Ah,” was all Erwin said. His speechlessness never failed to amuse Levi. “Sorry about that. Uh, I guess I’ll...go take care of this in the washroom. Do you want me to get you a glass of water first?”

Levi barked out a laugh. “How the fuck can you say that when you were literally two seconds away from bursting? That control of yours pisses me off. And turns me on a little at the same time.” He shoved Erwin on his back, despite the blond’s protests. “Just shut up and let me suck you off.” Erwin groaned, lying back in surrender.

“I-If you’re sure...”

“I am.” He grabbed Erwin’s hand, placing it on his head. Erwin got the hint and tangled his fingers in the dark locks, massaging Levi’s scalp. The latter sighed in appreciation. He took a deep breath before leaning down and swallowing just the tip of that thick cock, since his throat was still a little sore. It only took a few swipes of his tongue over the slit combined with his twisting hand before the blond muttered that he was going to come. His cock pulsed once, twice, and then he came with a throaty groan, Levi easily gulping down the fluid.

When he came down from his high, Erwin heaved a great sigh, sinking into the mattress. “That was the best wake-up call ever,” he mumbled with a dopey smile.

“Glad you liked it,” Levi said, his voice a little gravelly, and collapsed beside Erwin. The blond frowned.

“Is your throat all right?” He turned to Levi and tenderly stroked his Adam’s apple, as if his touch could heal the roughness in the other man’s throat. Levi rolled his eyes.

“I’m fine. Don’t be a worrywart.”

“Hmm. All right. Stay in bed with me for a while longer, then.” Erwin reached over and dragged him bodily until they were pressed chest-to-chest.

“God, you’re such a cuddler,” Levi complained, but nuzzled into Erwin’s neck anyway. “You’d better not fall asleep after all that work I put in to wake your fat ass up.”

Erwin rumbled in laughter. “I won’t, I won’t,” he said. He shifted to tangle their legs together, but the movement made his abs brush against something hard. Levi jolted. Holy shit, he’d gotten so good at ignoring his wayward boners that he’d completely forgotten he was even hard. Erwin felt it too and pulled away, gaze dropping.

“Whoops,” Levi said sheepishly. “Forgot ‘bout that.”

Erwin’s eyes traced back up to his face. “You got hard from sucking me off?” he asked, his voice low. Levi shuddered.

“Maybe.”

Erwin’s eyes flashed. In the span of a blink, Levi found himself on his back with his boxer briefs flung somewhere in the room, his legs hooked over the larger man’s shoulders. He gasped, twitching as Erwin breathed over his cock, and bit back a whimper when the blond murmured, “I’m going to return the favour a hundred-fold.”

And then his mind went blank.

* * *

He lay spread-eagle on the sheets, boneless and feeling like his brain had been drained out from his dick. A few steadying breaths later, he decided that his knees had probably solidified, and slid off the bed. He wobbled his way into the washroom where he could see Erwin’s outline behind the shower door. When he slid the frosted glass partition open, Erwin yelped and covered himself, but Levi just rolled his eyes and motioned for his boyfriend to turn so he could scrub his back.

He’d really only meant to get them both clean. He was rinsing the water off Erwin’s back when the blond turned around and enveloped him in a hug, which would have been innocent if not for the hardness digging into Levi’s stomach. They ended up desperately making out under the stream of hot water, Levi’s back pressed into the shower wall, his legs wrapped around Erwin’s waist.

It was like a switch had been flipped. Now that Levi officially had permission, he could act out things he’d only ever fantasized about. He wanted to touch Erwin all the time, wanted to kiss him everywhere, suck both visible and hidden bruises on his skin so that every time Erwin walked past a mirror and saw that one hickey peeking out from under his shirt collar, he’d remember the dozen others peppering much more intimate places.

It didn’t help that the blond had insane stamina. Shouldn’t getting all that blood into his huge dick be more difficult?

But aside from satiating his physical attraction to Erwin, it was the added level of intimacy to their relationship that really made Levi happy. How many other people knew about the mole on the right side of Erwin’s back, right in the dimple above his ass? Or the way he threw his head back and gasped when Levi licked under his foreskin just right? Sure, sex felt amazing, but what felt even better was learning about Erwin and returning the pleasure that Erwin gave him.

His life was slowly re-shaping to include the blond. After they finished working out and took another steamy shower together, Levi had to go home to show Kenny that he was alive, and also to prepare for a long-awaited job interview with the physiotherapist he’d admired since he was a kid. Some things were different now, like how he was no longer a student. Others never changed: the way he yelled a greeting to Kenny from the door, the way he did his clean-up routine around the house before setting off again, the way he triple-checked that he had his bus pass and wallet and keys. He went through the same motions, ones he’d repeated over and over for years and years, and it was the same neighbourhood, the same route he took to the stop, the same bus, he even recognized the bus driver—but it was all different in a way that had nothing to do with his newly graduated status.

He stared out the window. The rain that had started coming down earlier in the morning blurred his sight. Look, there was that weed on the sidewalk, the one Erwin had always insisted was a flower—had to be, since it was so beautiful. And there, the alley where Erwin had picked up a stray cat, a tabby he’d made his own until a couple days later when his RA found out and made him take it to the shelter. Didn’t Erwin write a letter of complaint to the university after that, challenging their policies on pets in double dorms?

Levi’s life was the same, but different. His head was filled with Erwin. His world was filled with Erwin, and his...thoracic cavity, too, (he wouldn’t say heart, because that was just gross) was brimming with not only his gooey, sticky feelings for Erwin, but also with the warm confidence that the blond returned them. He walked and talked and made important and unimportant decisions, knowing Erwin would be there if anything went wrong, and even happier than Levi himself if something went right.

Fuck, Levi was becoming a sap, wasn’t he? He was already too far gone.

Yet he found that he didn’t mind much. Probably because that sappiness, as well, was a little part of Erwin.

How horrifying.

* * *

Conversation: Hange Zoe, Petra Ral, Levi Ackerman

Levi Ackerman: got paid internship

Petra Ral: OMG! congratulations!!!!! my baby’s growing up, i’m so proud :’)

Hange Zoe: nooiiiiice ur a productive member of society now

Levi Ackerman: “productive”. but whatever forget about that, im more interested in petras date

Petra Ral: OH MY GOSH IT WAS SO AWKWARD BUT I HAD SO MUCH FUN

Levi Ackerman: details

Hange Zoe: awkward but fun? thats new

Petra Ral: YESS. actually, how about i just skype u guys later? i don’t feel like typing it all out :/

Levi Ackerman: sure but i gotta make dinner in a bit

Petra Ral: that’s okay, let’s just fb for now then. i’ll tell u allll about it after dinner <3

Levi Ackerman: k

Hange Zoe: speaking of dates how was ur day night morning date with blondie

Levi Ackerman: good. im so fucked

Petra Ral: ????

Hange Zoe: HA I COULDVE TOLD U THAT

Petra Ral: ????? i don’t understand?

Hange Zoe: levis in luuuurrv

Petra Ral: AWWWWWWWWWWWW

Levi Ackerman: holy shit stfu, it aint that srs yet

Hange Zoe: ya but ur getting there

Petra Ral: no need to fight it, levi! love is a beautiful thing :DD

Levi Ackerman: uggghhhh

Hange Zoe: y the sudden realization

Levi AckermanL: i dunno. but it sucked when i had to leave this morning even tho we already hung out the whole day and nigth

Hange Zoe: yall r in the honeymoon stage itll probs pass

Petra Ral: some couples transition beautifully from the honeymoon stage, though!

Hange Zoe: like ur parents ick theyre so affectionate

Petra Ral: exactly! i think it’s very nice. maintaining a relationship like theirs is my life goal :D

Levi Ackerman: hm, i can see u doing it

Hange Zoe: yo ur talkin like its got nothing to do with u but if u stay with erwin thats wat ur gonna end up being im telling ya. the guys like a fking golden retriever and its contagious

Levi Ackerman: omfg

Petra Ral: i think u two really complement each other! :DDD

Levi Ackerman: ...........u guys were supposed to persuade me not to get too attached so quickly

Hange Zoe: hey i tried. but bae ur done for already

Petra Ral: by “done for” hange means that ur ON UR WAY TO TRUE HAPPINESS <333 :DDD

Levi Ackerman: oh fuck my life

* * *

Later that night, Levi was reading up on materials he’d have to know for his internship, but annotating a bunch of scientific articles was boring, so he decided that now was as good a time as any to satisfy his BF Thirst™.

You: guess what

The BF: Hi! What? :O

You: got the 1 yr internship

The BF: Oh, Levi! Congratulations! I’m so happy for you. :D xoxo

Levi grinned. Ah, yes, he could already feel his BF Thirst Reserves™ filling up.

You: thx good pay too heh

The BF: Wow, you landed a paid internship? :O Is this with the physiotherapist you said helped you win track meets in high school even after you broke your leg in middle school?

Levi swooned, made a show of it as he pressed the back of his hand to his forehead and everything even though no one was there to see. Erwin remembered his stories. Now he felt warm and fuzzy. Gross.

You: uh huh hes the one

The BF: That’s wonderful. :) So when do you start?

You: day after tmr. mon-fri 9-5

The BF: Oh, they’re regular job hours?

You: yeah. if i can finish the online massage course thing within the yr then ill be an official massage therapist when im done

The BF: That sounds amazing! You can practice massaging techniques on me. ;)

Levi smirked. Ah, yes, so many places to massage on his big boyfriend.

You: ok if u pay

The BF: Do I at least get a discount? :D

You: nah ur probs gonna be a rich lawyer. im gonna have to leech as much off of u as i can

The BF: Aww, how cruel. :(((

You: u misspelled practical. so hows bar exam studying goin

The BF: Good, good. I think I’m well ahead of schedule. :) I still have until December, so I’m not too worried.

You: cool

The BF: So, have you eaten dinner yet?

You: yeah

The BF: Are you coming over tonight? :O <3

Levi stared mournfully at his phone, the small time display in the upper corner mocking him: 7:21 p.m. It was still early. He could be at Erwin’s in ten minutes, and then they could hang out for a couple hours—ughh, no, no, he couldn’t.

You: no kenny will get suspicious if im over too often

The BF: That’s too bad. :((( Maybe another day? I want to spend as much time with you as possible before you’re off working in the real world.

Oh, fuck, he was right. Levi would be so busy after he started working. He banged his forehead on the table.

You: u free tmr night?

The BF: Yes. :D I have to drop by campus in the afternoon to speak with one of my professors, but I should be home by five at the latest.

You: cool. can i stay the night

The BF: Of course, of course! Please do, in fact. ;)

You: perv

The BF: You’re calling ME the pervert? >:O

You: yeah seducing me then trying to domesticate me and shit. u had an extra toothbrush and everything. definitely a perv

The BF: That was just a new one I hadn’t gotten around to using yet! And I beg to differ. You are definitely the one who seduces me more. >:(

You: yeah ok watevs u say. now stop texting me or ill storm my way over

The BF: Feeling tempted to see me, are we? xoxoxo

You: yeah to punch u

The BF: With your lips? :DDDD

Levi’s jaw dropped.

You: WTF WHERED U LEARN TO TLAK LIKE THAT THATS NOT FUCKING FAIR

The BF: I think you should make your way over so I can show you the mouth that says those things. ;)))

You: WHAT

You: THE FUCK

You: WHO ARE U. GIVE ERWIN SMITH BACK

The BF: What can I say? You inspire me. ;D

You: UGHHH im gonna ignore u now. goodnight

The BF: Haha! Is this the beginning of a revolution? ;))) Have a good night’s sleep! I’ll see you tomorrow. xoxoxo

You: no revolution. i am and always will be the queen

The BF: We shall see about that. xo

You: hmph xo

* * *

It was ten after five when Levi pressed the doorbell the next day (he’d considered arriving at five sharp, but that would make him look desperate, which he most definitely was not). He heard it ring inside, but there was no other sound. Was Erwin still at school? He glanced down at his watch, but no, he hadn’t made a mistake; the time matched the one on his phone. He rang the doorbell again and waited a few seconds, but when there still wasn’t a peep of sound, he frowned. Weird. Oh, well. He could sit on the steps and wait. If Erwin was going to be much later, he would probably text.

He was just about to make himself comfortable on the cement when a flowerpot sitting on the window ledge with a baby...cactus?...in it caught his eye. Seriously, a cactus? Was that Erwin’s idea? Levi snorted and picked it up. It was a small, fuzzy little thing, a single pink flower blooming from the center. He resisted the urge to coo at its cuteness and cautiously tipped the pot back. Lo and behold, there was a small key taped to the bottom, which he ripped off before replacing the pot. Shaking his head at Erwin’s and probably Mike’s naivety, he let himself into the house.

“Erwin?” he called out. “Um...Mike?”

Still nothing, so he took off his shoes and locked the door behind him. It was weird being in their dorm without Erwin, but the blond had told him it would be okay for him to be there, right? He dropped his messenger bag on the floor, sat primly on the couch, and listened to the clock tick.

Ten minutes later, Erwin still wasn’t back, and Levi was starting to get worried. He’d been checking his phone what seemed like every five seconds, but all he got each time was a blank lock screen. It wasn’t like Erwin to be late, and it definitely wasn’t like him to be late without notice. Scowl pulling down his face, Levi was just about to text him when the front door opened. He whirled around, peering over the top of the couch, and was relieved to see a familiar figure shutting the door behind him.

“Hey.”

Erwin jumped, his eyes widening when they landed on Levi. “Levi! You...how did you get in?”

“I was just gonna wait for you to come back, but then I found the key under your cactus.” Levi held it up, the silver glinting. “That was a really crappy hiding place, by the way.”

“Ah,” Erwin said. “I see. Right.” He bent down and began unlacing his shoes.

Levi frowned, fidgeting with the key, then dropped it on the living room table when he realized what this silence probably meant. “Sorry, maybe I should’ve just been patient and waited.”

“What?” Erwin said distractedly. “No, no. I’m glad you found the key. I wouldn’t have wanted to make you wait outside.”

Levi grunted noncommittally. So it wasn’t about him. He watched Erwin for a moment longer as the latter turned to tuck his shoes in the shoe rack and hang up his coat.

Something was wrong. He could see it in how Erwin’s shoulders were stiff and his jaw tense. Levi’s scowl deepened when the blond sighed quietly through his nose and ran a hand through his previously neat hair. “Erwin.”

“Hmm?”

“You okay there?”

Erwin froze, his back to Levi. Seconds later, he bent stiffly to pick up his briefcase. “What do you mean?”

“You’re acting weird.”

“Huh. I’m acting weird,” he echoed flatly. He turned to Levi, face blank. Although it was a neutral expression, the dark-haired man was so used to Erwin always being happy or at least some kind of emotional that neutral had become a bad thing.

“Yeah,” he said, crossing his arms. “If you don’t want to talk about it, then I’ll find some other way to get you out of this funk, but if you do, then I’m all ears.”

Erwin blinked, slowly, looked down at a spot on the floor and then back up, lips twitching. “Funk, huh?”

“Oh, yeah,” Levi scoffed. “Definitely a funk. Like, so bad I'd have to be the Rukia to your Ichigo.”

Erwin pursed his lips. “Are you talking about the episode where she punches his soul out of his body because he was being so pointlessly depressed that she got fed up?"

"Well, I can't say I know which episode you're talking about, since Ichigo's always in some funk or another," Levi said matter-of-factly.

"I see." Erwin cracked a small smile. "And how were you thinking of getting me out of this apparent funk?” he asked, tilting his head.

Levi shrugged. “I can be pretty creative.” He waggled his eyebrows. “If you know what I mean.”

Erwin looked like he was trying to hold it in, but he finally laughed, and his shoulders relaxed. He propped his briefcase against the wall, leaving it by the door. “Move over a bit,” he said as he stepped over the landing and crossed the room. Levi rolled on to his side to give Erwin space beside him. But the blond had other ideas; he slid his hands under Levi’s armpits and lifted him just enough to shift the other man on top of him as he scooted on to the couch.

“Fucking manhandling me like a toy,” Levi grumbled into his chest.

“Sorry,” Erwin said, nuzzling the top of his head. “I was too impatient to ask you to get on top of me.”

“Yeah, bet you want me on top of you all the time, huh? Doing other things.”

Erwin chuckled. He carded his fingers through dark hair, sighing. “Some stuff happened at school. I was a little shaken, but I’m okay now.”

“Hm,” Levi said, very obviously unconvinced.

“Really! Just seeing you has made it all go away.” Erwin rubbed his cheek in Levi’s hair.

“Ugh.” Levi shoved at his face. “Sap.”

“But you like it when I’m sappy.”

“Where the hell did you get that idea?”

“It’s all right, Levi. I know you’re just shy.”

"I'm not fucking _shy_ ,” Levi squawked. “You know what, you seem totally fine, so I’m just gonna stop worrying and assume that whatever happened on campus was insignificant and not worth my precious time.”

Erwin gasped, his arms tightening around Levi. “You were that worried about me? Awww, Levi.”

“I-I was just worried that you’d be a depressed little shit for the rest of the day, you idiot! Stop that, I can’t breathe!”

“Oh, sorry.” Levi wheezed exaggeratedly as Erwin rubbed his back. “But yes, you’re right. It’s not worth our time, so don’t worry about it. Sorry I was late, by the way. I should’ve texted, but it slipped my mind.”

“Nah, it’s fine,” Levi murmured. He didn’t care about much anymore when those hands were on him. “Mmm, warm.”

Erwin laughed. “Yes, warm.”

* * *

They ordered Chinese take-out again because Erwin had forgotten to buy groceries. Typical. But because Levi didn’t have to go home this time, at least they could eat and watch the movie at their own pace without having to mind the clock.

“God, he was naked in, like, three-eighths of the fucking movie,” Levi said from his sprawled position on the floor, half in awe and...no, mostly just in awe.

“That’s an awfully precise number,” Erwin remarked.

“I have a very good memory when it comes to naked scenes of Chris Evans.”

“Of course. How could I have ever doubted you?” Erwin said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Wow, he was picking up some of Levi’s habits. “Well, this _is_ a romantic comedy. The ladies need some fan service. Oh, and some of the gentlemen too.”

“Mr. Evans is too generous to the world,” Levi sighed dreamily.

“I thought he and the girl made quite the couple. Their characters, I mean.”

“Isn’t Anna Faris married to Chris Pratt?” Levi cocked an eyebrow. “That must’ve been a little weird, to have your husband in the same movie while you make out with some other guy.”

“They’re married?” Erwin exclaimed and slapped his thigh. “That makes his scenes with her a million times funnier.”

Levi squinted at him. “You’re a real dork, you know that?”

“So you’ve told me many times,” Erwin replied, unfazed. “Anything in particular you want to do now?”

“Hmmmm.” Levi rolled on to his stomach, propping his chin on his laced fingers and kicking his legs back and forth. Erwin blinked at him patiently, sitting cross-legged with his hands folded in his lap. It was cute how his posture was always so proper. “Well,” Levi said slowly. “I want your dick in me right about now, but I’m not sure if we’re still doing this whole prepping business.” Erwin’s eyes bulged and his face immediately went tomato mode.

“Uh. Yes,” he stammered. “We are still doing the...whole prepping business. I am not going to risk hurting you.”

Levi grinned, delighted that he could still make Erwin blush and stutter so easily after all the things they’d already done with each other. Oh, yes, baby, the queen still got it. “Okay,” Levi said. He stuck out his bottom lip innocently. “I get fingers instead, right?”

Erwin gulped, his eyes locked on Levi’s mouth. “I-If you want.”

“Good.” He got on all fours and crawled towards Erwin, whose mouth was flapping open like he wanted to say something. When Levi got close enough, he straightened into a kneel, cupped Erwin’s face in both hands, and kissed him soundly. Erwin made a noise in his throat before he began kissing back. His arms were raised to wrap around Levi when the latter suddenly pulled away, leaving Erwin blinking and half-outstretched in confusion. “Shower,” Levi chirped. He’d sprung up and flown into the washroom by the time the frustrated groan floated from the living room, followed by a loud thump. Levi chewed on his lip, shaking with silent laughter.

* * *

He'd planned to take a speedy shower, but the thought of torturing Erwin for a while longer made him giddily slow his movements. Besides, he'd always loved to take showers. There was just something about them, you know? Maybe it was how you were enclosed in your own cozy little space, everything fogged up in this safe haven. Maybe it was how clean you felt after them, your skin baby-soft and smelling like flowers and sunshine and beaches.

Most people spent their shower time thinking about deep things. Some thought about the universe. Some thought about life.

Levi mostly just thought about Chris Evans. Before he met Erwin again, anyway.

Contrary to popular belief, thinking about bae while showering did not always lead to masturbation. For Levi, he imagined many things, the most common of which included what he would do if he ever met Chris Evans in person. There were so many ways for him to express his love, but which would be the most effective? Should he jump him? Demand a kiss? Bathe in radioactive waste in an attempt to gain superpowers so that he could become Chris’s personal Captain Sina?

Yes, these were the things Levi thought about. Or used to, anyway. He’d recently started thinking about Erwin more, which wasn’t exactly a good thing, since shower time was supposed to be his space to detach from reality. But the moronic blond was just so _persistent_. Erwin was invading his personal space, goddammit.

It should’ve made him mad, but he couldn’t help his merry humming as he planned all the nasty things they could do later.

Levi had finished drying his body and was about done with his hair when Erwin knocked. “Levi, are you done?”

“Yeah,” he called back. “I’m just drying my ha—” The door suddenly opened and then Erwin was lunging at him before he could react, grabbing him around the waist and flinging him over one shoulder. “What the fuck—” Levi yelped, dangling upside down. The blood flowing to his head made him a little dizzy, but he was soon being thrown on the bed, naked as the day he was born. Erwin climbed over him, caging him between his arms and legs. “E-Erwi—” he spluttered, confused but turned on by Erwin’s wolfish grin. A single drop of water from his damp hair trickled down his face.

“This is for being a tease,” the blond growled before his lips attacked Levi’s neck. The smaller man let out an embarrassing whimper and spread his legs to accommodate Erwin’s hips. Erwin sank down, pressing into him. This was the first time the blond was on top of him, large body overwhelming Levi’s in size, weight effortlessly pinning him down. And Levi found that he loved it, loved the pressure, heavy but not suffocating. He was completely helpless like this, arms held down by Erwin’s, his legs gaping open, his torso glued to his gigantic boyfriend’s. When Erwin shifted, his sweater scraped across Levi’s puckered nipples, making him jolt and cry out. He was already so hot, dick burning a line into his belly, and Erwin was only kissing his neck.

“C-Clothes,” Levi hissed, tugging at his secured hands. “Take off your damn clothes.” Erwin hummed against his skin and gave the spot under his ear one last suck. Then he straightened, criss-crossing his arms and swiftly pulling his sweater off from the bottom up. Levi’s heart hammered against his rib cage. He sat up a little, shaky hands going to Erwin’s belt, but Erwin gently pushed him back on the mattress.

“No,” he said softly. The word made Levi shudder, his dick twitching. He lay there obediently, waiting with harsh breaths as Erwin threw the rest of his clothes on the floor. The blond lowered himself on to Levi again, his smoldering eyes almost black. His gaze traced from Levi’s open mouth down to his swollen, pulsing dick. “Hm,” Erwin sighed, propping his face on one hand. His other idly stroked Levi’s collar bone. “You look so pretty like this,” he breathed. Goosebumps broke out all over Levi’s body and he shivered, but he kept his half-lidded eyes locked on Erwin’s. “So pretty, your whole body blushing for me.” The blond’s hand slid down, leaving a hot trail behind. It stopped on Levi’s nipple. Fingertips circled at a languid pace around his areola before pinching, rolling the hard nub between thumb and index finger. Levi moaned through his teeth, eyes rolling to the back of his head. His arms, now free, wound around Erwin’s shoulders, and his legs tightened around Erwin’s waist as he rocked up.

“Erwin...”

The blond said nothing. He released Levi’s nipple only to pet the other one, until both of them were red and prickling with oversensitivity. Levi swallowed down his whimpers. His lips tingled. “Erwin,” he whined, staring up pleadingly. The other man finally conceded, leaning down and kissing him. He sucked teasingly on Levi’s fat bottom lip, then slithered his tongue into Levi’s mouth. The smaller man could only lie there and take it, allowing Erwin to plunder his mouth, the vague whiffs of cologne making his head spin. He was already weak with arousal, trembling when Erwin’s chest pressed into his nipples, and squirming because he wasn’t sure if he wanted to get closer or farther. When Erwin pulled away from his mouth with a wet suck, Levi opened his eyes and licked his lips at the sight of Erwin’s wicked smirk. “Had enough?” Erwin crooned. Levi nodded frantically. “Do you want my fingers now?”

“Yes,” he cried, “Yes, yes, I want your fingers already.”

“Fine.” Erwin eased up and coaxed Levi on his hands and knees. He felt around in the bedside drawer for the lube, quickly squeezed some over his fingers, and rubbed his clean hand over Levi’s lower back. “Ready?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he whispered, jutting his ass out. His dick was so hard it hurt.

The first two fingers slid in easily enough. It was when Erwin started scissoring that Levi seized up. “Are you okay?” Erwin asked.

“Feels good,” Levi groaned. “Gimme a third.”

“...You’re sure? It’s tight. Wait, maybe this will make it easier for you...” Erwin reached down with his other hand and palmed Levi’s erection.

“Ah!” The smaller man jerked, his arm shooting down to grab Erwin’s.

“Don’t,” he whimpered. “I’ll come.”

He heard the harsh sound of Erwin’s teeth grinding together. The blond was almost at his limit too. Erwin drew his fingers out slowly and smeared some more lube on. He gently prodded at Levi’s entrance in warning before pushing in with three fingers. Levi let out a long breath. The digits began to move, thrusting in and out as his walls started to loosen. When the passage became soft and unresistant, Erwin curled his fingers. Levi jumped in the same way he had the last time Erwin had done this and panted into the pillow, scrabbling for purchase. He shoved his ass backwards, relishing the press of Erwin’s fingertips against that spot inside him. He was so turned on that the instant Erwin cupped his dick, he came with a drawn-out moan.

Levi collapsed and flopped on his back, breathing finally slowing. Erwin chuckled, then went and fetched a cloth. He murmured in appreciation when he was wiped off. “C’mere, I’ll suck you off.”

Erwin laughed. “I don’t think so. You’re wiped out.”

“You got any better ideas?” Levi asked, peering at him.

“Actually, I do, if you’ll let me try something,” Erwin admitted, rubbing the back of his head.

“Sure,” Levi said, waving a hand in the air. “Whaddaya want me to do?”

“Um...do you think I could maybe borrow your legs?” Erwin asked sheepishly.

“Sure?” Levi raised a leg, pointing his foot down like a ballerina would. He was fabulous even post-coital.

“Perfect,” Erwin mumbled. He lifted Levi’s other leg too and pushed them both straight up, held against his front. Levi rose on his elbows, curious to see what he would do.

His eyes widened when he felt the ruddy tip of Erwin’s thick cock poking at him, and then pop out from between Levi’s thighs, searing his skin with its heat. Levi pressed his legs more tightly together, just to watch Erwin tip his head back and sigh. His hips rolled slowly and steadily, precum dripping on to Levi’s abdomen and softening dick, slicking up the insides of his thighs. The dark-haired man wanted to moan just watching that huge dick appear and disappear between his legs; his attention was torn between its thrusts and the delicious, almost pained look on Erwin’s face. When Levi reached down and scraped just the barest tip of a blunt nail across the head, Erwin groaned, his hips stuttering, and he came in ribbons over the dark-haired man's chest and stomach. The blond breathed deeply, looking dazed until he realized where he’d come.

“Oh, shoot,” he said, scrambling up and scouring for the cloth he’d dropped somewhere on the bed. “I’m sorry, Levi. I guess I didn’t exactly think this position through.”

“Uh, no problem.” Levi coughed. He was going to burn that image of Erwin coming on him into his brain forever. “I don’t mind. At all.”

“Really?” Erwin smoothed the cloth down him again, its dampness cooling Levi’s overheated skin. “Tell me honestly if that was weird.”

“Oh my God, Erwin,” Levi groaned, his head hitting the mattress. “Can you enjoy the afterglow a little and stop worrying so much already? You know me well. Too well, actually. So you should know that I’d tell you if I didn’t like anything.”

“Oh, man,” Erwin said, sighing. Finished with the cloth, he tossed it somewhere and toppled on to the bed. “You’re right. Of course you’re right.”

“I’m always right,” Levi sniffed. “Now get up here already. I’m cold.”

Erwin scooted up and cuddled Levi into his arms. “Do you want the comforter?” Levi snuggled in his chest.

“Nah, you’re more than warm enough.”

“All right.”

Levi closed his eyes, breathing deeply as he listened to Erwin’s calm heartbeat. “Can’t wait to get Commander in me,” he mumbled.

Erwin groaned and pinched his butt. Levi yelped. “Stop, you little vixen, or it’s going to get up.”

“What, you gonna pin me down and have your way with me again?” Levi challenged. “...Although I s'pose I wouldn't mind much.” Erwin’s heartbeat quickened against his ear.

“Really?” He sounded like Levi had offered him a million bucks.

“That was actually...really hot,” Levi muttered. He pecked Erwin’s chest. “Feel free to have your way with me any time.”

Erwin laughed, patting him on the head. “Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.”

“Mmm.” Levi paused. “Hey, how packed is your schedule tomorrow?”

“Quite empty, I’d say.”

“So...that means...?”

“It means that I don’t have any plans at all. Except maybe studying.”

“Awesome. You wanna stay up a while longer then? And do something other than grope each other for once?”

“Sure. What do you have in mind?”

Levi grinned. “First, let’s get ready for bed.”

* * *

“...clown statue in the corner of the room, its fucking blood-red mouth stretching all the way up to its eyes. Completely freaked out, the babysitter phoned the mom and dad. She didn’t want to interrupt their movie, but the statue was gonna give her fucking nightmares if she didn’t do something about it. The father picked up on the sixth ring, and the babysitter asked if she could move or cover up the clown statue in the master bedroom, since it was scaring the shit out of her. And that’s when the father paused, before he said—” Levi leaned closer for dramatic effect, the single candle flickering on the bedside table creating dancing demons in his impish expression, “—‘Take the kids and get out of the house. We don’t own a clown statue.’”

Levi sat with bated breath, rocking back and forth and hugging his blanket more tightly around himself as he searched Erwin’s expression. Which mostly just looked confused, if his scrunched up nose was anything to go by.

“Is that it?” Erwin asked skeptically.

Levi scowled. “Well, there’s a continued version where the girl goes to find the kids, but none of them are in their beds anymore. And then the phone starts ringing, and when she picks it up, a voice says “you’re next”. I just think my ending cut it off at a better place, ‘cause, you know, then you can use your own imagination for what happens next.”

Erwin blinked. “Ah. I see.”

“Isn’t that fucking scary, though?” Levi yelled, throwing up his arms. “How are you not scared!”

“I just can’t imagine someone going out of their way to dress like a clown to kill people,” Erwin explained. “It’s impractical, time-consuming, and you’d be caught immediately because anyone you pass by after you get out of that house will remember you. Not to mention, you'd have to get rid of all the clothes and makeup somewhere the cops wouldn't find them.”

“Maybe he has mental problems and doesn’t give a shit! Some people are cray-cray like that, you know!”

“Hm,” Erwin said, rubbing his chin. “I suppose that’s a possibility.”

“Oh my fucking God,” Levi moaned, burrowing into his blanket.

They had quickly finished their before-bed routine, Levi opting to borrow one of Erwin’s shirts instead of wearing his own dirty one, and pulling on clean boxers that he’d brought in his bag. With all the lights turned off, it was impossible to see even with the window open, considering how rain clouds were still masking the moon. So Erwin had gone and found one of the candles they stocked up on in case the electricity ever went out, and then they’d each grabbed blankets to wrap themselves in as they huddled on the bed. Telling ghost stories was one of the things Petra did at her girly sleepovers, and Levi had always secretly wanted to try.

Too bad Erwin didn’t find scary stories scary. But that was cute, too.

“Fine, how ‘bout you try telling one then?” Levi suggested. “You didn’t find any of mine scary, so let’s see how terrifying yours are.”

“All right.” Erwin licked his lips. “So, once upon a time—”

“Holy shit, that’s for fairy tales, not scary stories, you nincompoop!” Levi wailed, rolling around in distress.

“Oh, darn, I got mixed up.” Erwin pursed his lips. “Okay, okay. I’ve got one. So. This story takes place on an average day. You wake up one morning right after your alarm sounds. You get ready for school: brush your teeth, change, eat breakfast, etc. etc. Then you pull on your backpack and walk to the bus stop. But along the way, you realize that people are staring at you and pointing and giggling. It isn’t until you get to the stop that you realize you’re not wearing pants.”

“I can tell already this is gonna be a bad fucking story,” Levi muttered.

“No, no, give it time,” Erwin insisted. “Ahem. All right, so you rush all the way home, pull on some pants, and you finally get on the bus. But when you arrive on campus, you find that it’s oddly empty. You walk by a construction worker, because there are always a million of them around, and you ask why no one is there. The man gives you a strange look and tells you that it’s Saturday. And also that your fly is unzipped.”

“Jesus Christ,” Levi snorted in laughter as he fell on his side. “This is so fucking bad, I can’t believe this.”

“I know, right?” Erwin exclaimed. “It’s a terrible situation! I bet you thought it was over, huh? Nope, not yet! After that, you ride the bus dejectedly back home, thinking that you’d just wasted an hour of your life. You turn your computer on, ready to slack off a little before doing some work, so you login to Facebook. There are ten notifications from your friends, and they’re all telling you that your final grades have been posted.”

“Aw, shit,” Levi said, his eyes widening from his curled-up sushi-roll position. He didn’t want to admit it, but that plot twist got to him.

“Exactly. You login to the university website, and you see a message that makes your blood run cold: you have failed all of your core courses, and have thus been kicked out of the university. You are now a jobless drop-out with crippling debt. The end.”

“Nooooo,” Levi groaned into the mattress. “That was so fucking bad, and then shit got _real_. How can you _say_ things like that, Erwin? Now I'm fucking sad.”

“Oh!” Erwin gasped. He lay down beside the smaller man and threw his own blanket around him so that Levi looked like a double-layered burrito, and embraced him tightly. “No, no, no, Levi, please don’t be sad. I’m sorry.” Levi bit Erwin's nipple through his shirt. “Ouch! All right, don't be mad either,” Erwin fussed, stroking Levi’s head. “It’s just a story. You’ve already graduated, remember? And you’ve got a promising new job with amazing pay and an excellent mentor.”

“Yeah,” Levi grumbled. “I guess.”

“Mm-hm. And even drop-outs have good futures waiting ahead of them, you know? Everyone is suited to different things.”

“True. Ugh, fine, I’ll forgive you, since you’re so good at comforting me.”

“I’m glad to be of service.”

“But I forbid you from telling any more scary stories.”

“Okay. I’m sorry.”

“Hmph. Whatever. Now tell me a happy one.”

“Oh, a happy story! I’m good at those. Okay, okay, are you ready? So, once upon a time...”

* * *

The following morning, Levi woke with a start, ghost images of clowns, fly zippers, and teddy bears fading from behind his eyelids. His eyes darted around, taking in the drawn beige curtains, the clothes strew over the carpeted floor. It wasn’t until his gaze landed on the candle stub sitting on the bedside table that he remembered what had happened the night before. He must have fallen asleep during the gossiping session he’d been having with Erwin after their happy story binge; they were both still wrapped up in their blankets, the comforter nowhere to be found.

Levi carefully extricated himself from Erwin’s octopus limbs, checked his phone, then slid off the bed as silently as he could. Honestly, he probably didn’t have to worry that much about waking the moron up, but it would be a sin if he did, with how adorable he looked.

He tiptoed around the bed, keeping an eye on Erwin. He was so focused on the blond’s unmoving body that he missed the pair of jeans crumpled on the floor, and his foot caught in the belt, tripping him. He stumbled a couple steps before catching himself with a relieved exhale, then turned back to glare at the offending jeans. He’d better fold all the clothes if he didn’t want to break his nose.

Levi stooped to gather up Erwin’s pants, but a small thump made him look down. A black leather wallet lay open on the ground, probably having dropped out of the pocket of his jeans. Levi picked it up, intending to put it on the table beside Erwin's phone, when something glossy caught his attention. An Erwin with shorter hair smiled up at Levi, his head peeking out from behind the front pocket of the wallet.

Aww. Levi grinned. Damn, would Erwin be mad that Levi had looked? Oh well, he’d already seen it, so might as well admire the whole thing. Levi delicately pulled at the bottom corner of the picture, careful not to smudge the photo paper with fingerprints, and slowly slid it out.

He froze.

To the right was Erwin, his face bright with happiness. To the left was a petite woman with long brown hair and twinkling green eyes, her arms wrapped around Erwin’s middle as she beamed at the camera.

Marie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading!! *insert shameless comment-whoring* <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter accidentally became a bit of a monster...uh...sorry ._.

Despite the masochistic part of him that wanted to stare at the photo, Levi put it away as soon as he recognized what it was. But his quick reflexes didn’t seem to matter, because every detail was seared to the back of his eyelids anyway. It had been a sunny day. Spring, maybe. A light breeze was ruffling her sundress. The law building was in the background, so it might’ve been a celebratory shot. Taken by someone else, a mutual friend, or perhaps just a passerby. One of Erwin’s hands was in his pocket, the other casually draped around Marie’s shoulder. Together, they were beautiful and beautiful, happy and happy.

Levi was overreacting. He knew he was, he really did, but Marie was a shadow that twisted in the darkest depths of his psyche, seeping out of his pores to bind him. He simply could not stop the gloomy thoughts from clouding his vision.

So Erwin still loved her enough to carry around a picture of them together while he was dating another person. A physical reminder of their beautiful memories, carefully tucked into his pocket at all times. He paid for his half of his dates with Levi and for the occasional presents that he bought for Levi from behind this pocket that preserved her brilliant smile.

Or was that even the past for Erwin? Was he still stuck in a reality that no longer existed?

Levi jolted when his phone vibrated, and he realized that he’d been unconsciously ripping at the skin beneath the tip of his thumb nail. A thin streak of naked, red flesh remained where the skin had been. “Shit,” he muttered. His phone buzzed again and he jumped up to grab it, then sat back down on the floor near the foot of the bed.

Conversation: Hange Zoe, Petra Ral, Levi Ackerman

Hange Zoe: yo levi when do u start work again. lets all go get some delish grub before u get busy

Hange Zoe: ...r u still sleeping. fine is petra awake petra do u know when levi starts working

Hange Zoe: ok so everyones still sleeping buncha pigs

Levi breathed in deeply. As usual, Hange had an uncanny sense of timing.

Levi Ackerman: work tmr. i found a pic of erwin and marie in erwins wallet

Hange Zoe: ...wat

Levi Ackerman: i dunno wats goin gon

Hange Zoe: wtf. a recent picture?

Levi Ackerman: no theyre younger in the photo. probs from when they were dating

Hange Zoe: ...wtf??? wasnt that forever ago y would he still have that

Levi Ackerman: i dunno

Hange Zoe: wtfffff im confused howd u find out

Levi Ackerman: wa spicking up our clothes and his wallet fell open on the ground. saw something shiny sticking out of it so i took it out to look

Hange Zoe: oh

Levi Ackerman: yeah

Hange Zoe: wait wait wait waaaaaaaaaait a sec

Levi Ackerman: wat

Hange Zoe: u said u saw something shiny

Levi Ackerman: well yeah, photo paper. thats not the point here

Hange Zoe: yes it is cuz that doesnt make sense

Levi Ackerman: ?

Hange Zoe: if its an old photo whys it shiny

Levi Ackerman: ...i dunno...it was protected in the wallet partition? who cares

Hange Zoe: was the photo wrinkled or damaged at all

Levi Ackerman: no not rly

Hange Zoe: was there a difference in colour between the part of the photo stickin gout of the pocket and the part that wasnt

Levi Ackerman: no. whats it matter

Hange Zoe: ... 

Hange Zoe: levi do u rmb the picture i keep in my wallet? of my parents 

Levi Ackerman: yeah, what about it 

Hange Zoe: its completely covered behind that plastic sleeve but its still all wrinkled and sht bc its been there for yrs

Levi Ackerman: can u get to the point 

Hange Zoe: oh my fking god levi how can u be so blind?? im asking u if erwins photo is NEWLY PRINTED

Levi Ackerman: looked pretty new to me i guess

Hange Zoe: holy shit wat the fk this is fked up. levi dont u get it? y would a NEW photo of erwin and his fking ex be in his wallet huh? UR the one hes dating, so y would he go out of his way to print that shit out and stick it there??

Levi's heart chilled. He scrambled for the wallet, flipping it open and gingerly pulling the photo out again.

Hange was right.

He typed back with numb fingers.

Levi Ackerman: fuck its new

Hange Zoe: WAT THE FUCK. WAT IS GOING ON k r u at his place right now cuz im gonna fking go over there and kick that bastards ass wat the fk

Hange’s immediate fury made the gravity of the situation sink in. Levi picked at the skin under his nails with renewed vigor.

Levi Ackerman: calm down whyre u so mad

Hange Zoe: Y AM I SO MAD? Y AM I SO MAD??? UM HELLO SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE???? DOES IT NOT BOTHER U

Levi Ackerman: theres probs an explanation for this

Hange Zoe: LIKE WAT

Levi Ackerman: i cant think of anything right now but there is

Hange Zoe: ok levi

Hange Zoe: i know u dont want to hear this

Hange Zoe: but has it occurred to u that this might be srs

Levi Ackerman: what the fuck are u takling about, im freaking out here cuz i know it might be serious

Hange Zoe: no levi. im saying that erwin might be cheating

One particularly violent rip tore off a strip of skin too close to the nailbed, and blood welled under the white free edge of Levi's nail. He ignored it.

He hadn’t thought of that possibility. He hadn’t thought of it at all.

Levi Ackerman: erwin wouldnt

Hange Zoe: ok but thats what they all say u know? i dont want to be a killjoy here but i think u need to consider all the possibilities right now

Levi Ackerman: how did u even get the idea that he might be cheating. if he was wouldnt he use a more recent pic of them

Hange Zoe: i dunno. im just saying that u could be the third person in this relationship

Levi Ackerman: but he was so cold to her when they met

Hange Zoe: i know and she cried too right. maybe they were fighting

Levi Ackerman: erwin wouldnt cheat

Hange Zoe: for ur sake i sure hope so 

Levi Ackerman: i gtg. i need to talk to him when he wakes

Hange Zoe: ok. r u sure u dont want me ther

Levi Ackerman: yeah. ill ttyl

Hange Zoe: ok cya

* * *

Levi sat on the floor for long minutes as he considered his next course of action, Erwin’s jeans neatly folded beside him, the wallet sitting innocuously on top of them. The blood on his finger had long since dried, but he still hadn’t figured out what to say. This wasn’t Levi’s forte; he was a do guy, not a think guy.

Hange was probably overreacting too, but that didn’t stop his brain from conjuring the most far-fetched, traitorous possibilities for why that photo was in Erwin’s wallet.

Because while Levi was ninety-nine percent sure there had to be a perfectly reasonable explanation—one that would make him dissolve into relieved giggles and old-man knee slaps and doleful cries of ‘oh, silly me, why didn’t I think of that!’—it was, naturally, the one percent of doubt that threw him.

It was a new photo. It was a fucking, shiny-ass, brand-spanking-new piece of two-by-two photo paper, so there was no way Erwin could’ve simply forgotten to take it out after his and Marie’s relationship ended. Four years after he’d supposedly broken up with the chick. In a wallet he had gotten from his grandmother for his birthday a year ago.

Yeah, no.

Part of Levi imagined what he would do if Hange was right: the photo was some sort of obscure evidence that Erwin was cheating on him, and Levi would have to dump him. That situation made his stomach hurt and his chest bubble with laughter simultaneously because, really, Erwin cheating? Naahh. No way. This was the man who had fucking named one of his alarms in Levi’s honour, for Christ’s sake.

The larger, more practical part of him imagined the confrontation with Erwin. What was Levi to say? What words could he use to convey that it was because Erwin was so important to him that Levi sometimes worried about stupid things? While simultaneously saying it all in the most unoffensive, honest way, so as not to hurt Erwin’s feelings? “I saw the picture in your wallet.” “It’s not like I don’t trust you or anything.” “The facts don’t add up.” “I’m not accusing you of lying, but is there something you’re not telling me?” “Don’t panic, you moron. I’m not mad.”

After all, it was rare that Levi even _liked_ anybody; to spiral so quickly out of control, swept into Erwin’s passionate pace, was frightening—especially for a first-time boyfriend. Fondness for the wacky blond had stubbornly budded in Levi’s unaccommodating heart and long since blossomed in a disgusting flurry of colour, watered by trust that far surpassed the level of preschool-playmates-turned-months-old-friend. So yeah, Levi could honestly say he trusted Erwin enough to give him the benefit of the doubt.

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t scared. He was fucking terrified. What if he was wrong this time? What if Hange had been right the whole time, and he was just being played? Worse yet, what if Levi was right, and hurt Erwin with his groundless insecurity? Trust was such a crucial part of relationships, after all.

This was a lose-lose situation for him. He wished he hadn’t seen the photo at all.

Levi was broken out of his reverie when the bed creaked. Erwin had rolled over, his hand patting around the cool spot where Levi should have been. He grunted, arm stretching out when he didn’t find anything. “Levi?” he croaked, voice heavy with sleep. His head poked out from the covers and he glanced around blearily, messy hair flopping everywhere. Levi’s heart squeezed, but he didn’t say anything because he didn’t know if he could speak normally right now. Erwin, the idiot who almost didn’t wake even through a blowjob, was calling his name two seconds after discovering that Levi wasn’t there.

“Levi?” Erwin repeated, this time sounding much more alert. He was sitting up now, rubbing his eyes and looking around the room. Levi still felt like something was lodged in his throat, but he didn’t want to worry Erwin. He raised his hand above his head, waving so that the blond would see him.

“Wh—Levi?” Erwin shuffled over to the end of the mattress, blanket still wrapped around his shoulders, and peered down. “What are you doing down there?” he asked, blue eyes round and curious.

“Uh. I...was just...” Levi hurriedly glanced around, spotted Erwin’s sweater and grabbed it, holding it up, “—cleaning up our clothes,” he said. He began to fold it, paying attention to the lines and making sure they were military-straight.

“Oh.” Erwin blinked. “This early in the morning?”

“Yeah, well,” Levi said slowly. “I was on my way to the shitter and then I tripped over your fucking pants.” He threw a thumb over his shoulder at Erwin’s folded jeans.

“Ohhh,” Erwin said, grinning sheepishly. “Sorry. We were in a bit of a rush last night, weren’t we?”

Levi suddenly felt sick. “Yeah,” he muttered. He dropped the shirt on top of Erwin’s pants, then stood up and brushed himself off. “I’m...gonna go take a piss.”

“All right,” Erwin said. He relaxed on to his stomach, cheek pressed into the sheets and arms flopping off the edge of the bed. He smiled, a sleepy quirk of his lips. “Are you coming back to bed after you’re done?”

Levi stared at him. 

He thought of the photo, and then he thought of how he wouldn’t be seeing Erwin for at least another half week after today. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll be back later.”

“Okay,” Erwin said, the corners of his eyes crinkling.

Levi turned and left.

They could talk about the stupid picture some other time.

* * *

Erwin made it easy for Levi to forget his doubts. The blond was no different from usual, doting and fussy, constantly showering Levi with affection, strangely bashful when those affections were returned, and snarky when provoked. Levi got caught up in him, in their routine: making food, working out, making more food, and then watching Netflix, all the while chatting about random things. He didn’t even get a chance to dwell on the photo.

By the time he arrived home in the afternoon, he’d decided not to risk their relationship by bringing it up when it obviously wasn’t a big deal anyway. He and Erwin were fine. Levi was happy the way things were, and that was what mattered.

Hange, on the other hand, wasn’t so convinced.

Conversation: Hange Zoe, Petra Ral, Levi Ackerman

Hange Zoe: fking sht levi i cant believe ur just gonna turn a blind eye this is so not like u

Levi Ackerman: wtf do u want me to do then? its not like having a pic of ur ex has to mean that ur cheating or watever. theres no logical connection between just having a photo and being unfaithful

Hange Zoe: holy shit r u srs rihgt now. ok if he had a pic of her in like a fking photo album id be like watevs man erryones got their past BUT THAT WAS A NEW PHOTO. IN HIS GODDAMN WALLET. WAKE UP AND SMELL THE ROSES U IDIOT. shit where the hell is petra she’d knock some sense into u

Levi Ackerman: shes on a date with mr splat

Hange Zoe: oh ok but ugh this is rly pissing me off

Levi Ackerman: k but srsly if he was cheating, wouldnt it be a photo of them now, not a photo of the past

Hange Zoe: levi i dunno and i rly dont care. maybe hes not cheating at all maybe hes just pining for her still after all these yrs and seeing her the other day brought back memories or some sht so he printed a photo WHO KNOWS but the point is r u ok with him keeping her stashed away like that inside him even while hes going out with u cuz if u r then ill shut up

Levi’s head fell back against the chair. He ran a hand over his face and pressed hard against his temples.

Levi Ackerman: fuck

Hange Zoe: look either way its strange ok. and u pretend that u arent bothered but u obvs r i mean who in their right mind wouldnt be. so stop ignoring it or itll come back another time

Levi Ackerman: jesus christ this fucking sucks. i just cant believe he’d be capable of sneaking around

Hange Zoe: i dunno man looks r deceiving sometimes. havnet u seen pics of serial murderers who look like the nicest ppl on earth like damn

Levi Ackerman: yeah i guess

Hange Zoe: or maybe he doesnt think it a big deal to be in love with one person and date another

Levi Ackerman: wtf so im a rebound now?

Hange Zoe: i dunno would u be ok with being one

Levi Ackerman: well its a shit ton better than all the other possibilities ur dreaming up 

Hange Zoe: i guess

Levi Ackerman: ugh

Hange Zoe: man u know wat im sorry

Levi Ackerman: wtf r u sorry for, its not like its ur fault

Hange Zoe: ya but i didnt mean to get in between u guys or anything

Levi Ackerman: ur not, u idiot. u were right. ignoring this isnt gonna solve anything, and better i find out sooner than later if hes a douche

Hange Zoe: so when r u seeing him again

Levi Ackerman: this weekend probs but we didnt set a date or anything

Hange Zoe: o u got work starting tmr right

Levi Ackerman: yeah

Hange Zoe: siiiiiiigh ok

Levi Ackerman: i wanna ask him in person

Hange Zoe: ya good idea. but u know that means ur gonna be killing urself for the next few days

Levi Ackerman: yeah, well i dont have much of a choice. i dont wanna stomp my way back over there right now to fight when i cant see him for the next little while

Hange Zoe: true. uuuuuuggggggghhhhhhh well if u need to bitch ull have us esp petra she’ll freak out so hard when she sees all this

Levi Ackerman: yeah. thx u shitter. k gonna go make dinner now, ill ttyl

Hange Zoe: ok bb cya

* * *

As Levi lay in bed that night, he imagined the dozens of different ways Erwin could react to his questions. Would he be embarrassed? Horrified? Guilty? Indifferent?

Levi groaned and tumbled around the bed, flailing his limbs, tangling himself in the covers. When he finally ran out of energy, he burrowed under his pillow and willed the shadows to go away. It was time to stop acting like a suspicious little bitch. Talk about being a drama queen. What happened to those times when he used to watch Korean soap operas and make fun of the jealous bimbos? It was just a dumb picture, probably something Erwin looked back at as memories of good times. They would talk, and Erwin would explain everything. They would be fine.

But Levi couldn’t sleep, goddammit. He’d had trouble sleeping before when he got nervous before exams, but never like this, tossing and turning until—what time was it? He reached for his phone—three am, what the fuck? It was his first day of work tomorrow, fucking shit.

He sighed, squinting into the glow of his screen. Turning the brightness to minimum, he checked his million Facebook messenger notifications. Oh, they were from Petra, the dear. But he was exhausted, so he’d read her messages tomorrow.

His thumb hovered over the text messaging app before he tapped it, gnawing on the corner of his bottom lip.

You: hey u awake

He waited a couple minutes, but his phone remained stubbornly silent. Sighing, he put it back on the chest of drawers by his bed, and resigned himself to counting sheep.

On sheep thirty-two, a loud buzzing startled him out of his trance. Levi shot up, nimbly drawing his unlock pattern.

The BF: Levi? What’s wrong, it’s so late already. Don’t you have worj tomorrow?

Levi half-smiled. He curled on to his side.

You: yeah. counting sheep wasnt working

The BF: Having troubke sleepign?

Levi frowned. What was with all the typos? Did Erwin accidentally turn off his autocorrect or something? No, but Erwin’s autocorrect was disabled. He’d said that it made googling Latin legal terms a hassle.

You: yeah

The BF: Neevous for your first day tomorrow?

You: no not rly. just one of those nights

The BF: I see.

Levi bit his lip.

You: u should go sleep, what are u doing still up

The BF: Oh, I had some stuff to tak ecare of, don’t worry about me.

You: o. this late? do i need to start calling u at 1 again to remind u to sleep

The BF: Haha, I’m fine. It doesn’t happen often. Say, if you can’t sleep, can I call yuo?

Levi exhaled loudly, rubbing the band-aid he’d wrapped around his thumb.

You: i dunno, its late

The BF: Please?

He closed his eyes, then slowly opened them.

You: k

He held his phone in both hands, waiting for Erwin’s name and the default contact icon to pop up on the screen. He should really take a dorky picture for Erwin's contact picture.

When the device began vibrating, he quickly answered the call and huddled into his covers.

“Hello?” he said quietly, not wanting to wake Kenny.

“Hi.” He could hear Erwin smile. Phones were mysterious things. They didn’t capture the richness of Erwin’s voice, but made up for it by delivering a concentrated, tinnier version straight into Levi’s ear. He smiled, unable to help himself.

“What’s up?” he said.

“Hmm. Nothing much, yes. But it must be horrible for you to not be able to sleep the night before your first day.”

Levi’s grin fell from his face. Erwin’s sentences were a little...off. And he was speaking slowly, his words slurring just a bit at their ends, and it wasn’t just the phone that made him sound weird; his voice was rusty and unused.

Suddenly, it all fell into place, the typos and the lack of emoticons from the text messages.

“Erwin,” Levi murmured. “My text woke you up, didn’t it?”

He heard Erwin breathe several times into the phone before he answered, “Mmm, no, you didn’t.”

Levi snorted. “You’re such a shitty liar.”

“No, really—” Erwin protested, more awake now. “You didn’t.”

Levi raised his eyebrow.

“I can see you doing the eyebrow thing right now,” Erwin chuckled.

“Impressive. You’re right, I am.”

The blond laughed. “All right, all right, I admit it. I’m sorry for lying. But I didn’t want you to feel like you were unwelcome. It makes me happy that you thought to text me when you couldn’t sleep.”

“Right,” Levi sighed. “You should still tell me though, ‘cause now I feel bad.”

“Well, you shouldn’t.” Erwin's tone was one he might've used to tell Levi that the Earth was round, not flat, you silly thing. “Because now I get to hear your voice four days earlier than planned. I’ll be in a better mood tomorrow.”

“Ugh, you’re so gross,” Levi groaned. “You’re such a—”

“A sap, right? I know,” Erwin said lightly, and then he laughed. “But I can’t help it, you know.”

Levi swallowed around the lump in his throat, blinking rapidly. “Erwin.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll...I’ll be thinking about you tomorrow at work,” he said, his face hot.

Erwin paused. “Oh. That would...that would be nice.”

Levi could almost see his wide eyes and red cheeks. He stuffed his face into his pillow to keep from self-combusting. “I think I’m gonna go sleep now. Thanks.”

“Oh, are you ready to sleep already? That was pretty quick. Did I help?”

Levi grinned. “Yeah.”

“All right, then. I’m glad. And no need to thank me,” Erwin insisted. “The pleasure was all mine.”

“Yes, yes,” Levi teased. “’Night.”

“Goodnight, Levi. Sleep tight.”

He didn’t need to see the :D and the <3 and the xoxoxo to hear it through Erwin’s voice.

* * *

During his break at work the next day, Levi sprawled in a folding chair in the employee lounge, idly sucking on one of the lollipops they gave to their younger patients. He pulled his phone out of the pocket of his black work-out pants and scrolled through Petra’s messages from the day before. They mostly consisted of screaming and NO WAYs and LEVI U GOTTA TALK IT OUT WITH HIMs.

Conversation: Hange Zoe, Petra Ral, Levi Ackerman

Levi Ackerman: im not gonna bring up the photo with erwin

Hange Zoe: wat y

Petra Ral: LEVIIIIIIIIII THERE U ARE

Levi Ackerman: sup sry had work

Petra Ral: THAT’S OKAY, BUT ARE U SURE??????? ABOUT NOT EVEN ASKING HIM??

Levi Ackerman: yeah, ive got complete confidence in him

Hange Zoe: well ok bub as long as ur doing this cuz ur sure and not just cuz ur scared

Levi Ackerman: yeah. i dont wanna make him sad

Petra Ral: REALLY??? is it okay if i go question him in ur place then?? >:O

Levi Ackerman: lol no petra

Petra Ral: awww okay okay. all of this bugs me but i wont butt in if u don’t want me to :((

Levi Ackerman: thx gurl. the thought is appreciated

Petra Ral: of course! <3 but tell me if he’s ever mean to u! although i adore erwin, u are obviously still more important, levi! >:(

Hange Zoe: ya we’ll beat him up

Levi Ackerman: lool roger that. but i get first dibs for beating him up

Hange Zoe: ya duh we’re just the clean up crew

Petra Ral: yesss >:DD

Levi Ackerman: lol k. btw i regret not sleeping earlier last night bc i am dying right now

Hange Zoe: HAHA sucker

Petra Ral: HEY, ive got an interview near ur work place in about an hour! want me to grab u some coffee? :D

Levi Ackerman: omg yes ilu ur the best

Petra Ral: i know ;)

Hange Zoe: ho to the rescue

Petra Ral: WOW, THAT WAS UNNECESSARY.

The sound of the door clicking open made Levi look up. “Oh, Dr. Jaeger.” He hopped to his feet and shoved his phone back in his pocket. “Did you need me?”

“No, no, I’m just taking a short break since one of our patients cancelled,” Grisha said, waving around his cup of steaming tea. “Sit, relax. I know it’s been a hectic morning.” Levi sat back down. He chewed off the last bits of his lollipop, then tossed the plastic stick in the garbage can.

“Yeah, pretty busy around here, huh?”

“Yes.” Grisha pulled out a chair across from Levi, setting down his cup before leaning back and crossing his arms. “How are you liking everything so far? I bet it feels different from when you were the patient here, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, now I’m the one helping angry hurt people instead,” Levi said dryly. “But it’s nice. Rewarding. Especially the little kids.”

“Yes, I know what you mean. There’s something to say about instilling confidence in another person, guiding them to do things they hadn’t thought themselves capable of.” Levi nodded. “By the way, I was impressed to see that you know your stuff. You’re really helping us out.”

“Oh, thanks,” Levi said, surprised by the praise. “I’ve volunteered at a lot of physiotherapy clinics, so I picked up some stuff.”

“I can tell they were helpful experiences.” Grisha smiled. The way the corners of his eyes crinkled reminded Levi a bit of Erwin. “You’ve met all the other staff here?”

“Yeah. They’re super nice to me.”

“As they should be. Everyone starts out somewhere.” Grisha picked up his cup and sipped.

“Um,” Levi fidgeted. “I just realized that I never got a chance to tell you, but I’ve always been grateful for what you did for me back then. I know I was a brat.”

“Nonsense,” the doctor said, grinning widely now. “I’d be lying if I said you weren’t a teensy bit challenging to work with, but I personally was thrilled to help out a youngster with such phenomenal physical potential. I had fun.”

Levi smirked. “I’m glad it went both ways, then.”

“Yes. And there was also the fact that I saw a bit of my son in you, so I was all the more determined to help. Speaking of which, maybe you know him? Eren Jaeger? He’s studying kinesiology at Sina right now.”

Levi’s mouth dropped open. “Eren Jaeger’s your son?”

Grisha’s face lit up in excitement. “So you do know him! Yes, he is. Oh dear, are you perhaps the Levi he was always talking about back in his earlier years of university?”

“Uh,” Levi muttered, picking at the chipped edge of his plastic chair. “Maybe...?”

“Well, he’d be just delighted to hear that you’re doing your internship here!”

“Right...”

“It’s too bad that he won’t be helping around for at least a few months. He’s off doing co-op.”

“Oh, okay.”

“But really, I’ll tell him first thing when I get home today! He’ll be so excited!”

Levi smiled and nodded, but on the inside, he was having a hair-on-fire-running-around-screaming moment.

* * *

Work was more tiring than actually working out, since his body activity was kept up for almost eight hours straight through demonstrating exercises, fixing patients' postures, and running around from one equipment room to the other. By the end of the day, his muscles were aching. But it was a satisfying soreness. Not as satisfying as the soreness he got from rolling in the sheets with Erwin, but you know, close enough.

He was slumped in a seat on the bus barely minutes after he’d gotten off, when he received a text from Erwin. The big moron had probably been waiting.

The BF: How was work today, darling? ;)

You: call me that one more time

The BF: But it fits you so well! D:

You: like hell

The BF: It does! :)

You: o rly now

The BF: Yes. You’re a real softie. <3 And because there’s a rule that all softies are absolute darlings, you must be a darling. :D

You: ..................................................

The BF: xoxoxoxoxxoxo

You: omfg die

The BF: Nooo, Levi. :(

You: yo speaking of work tho

The BF: Yes?

You: stuff happened

The BF: Stuff? Is someone being mean to you? >:(

You: no, they’re nice. but theres this guy there

The BF: A friend? :O

You: no this guy who chased me around all the time in first yr like a puppy and kept trying to ask me out

Erwin’s reply didn’t come until a minute later.

The BF: What?

You: i mean he doesnt work there but his dad owns the place, and from what the dad was saying, it sounded like the guy helps out at their clinic from time to time. hes at coop right now but after hes back ill probs be seeing him. its gonna be super awks

The BF: Why would it be awkward?

You: cuz i rejected him so many times lol

The BF: I see.

You: and well, i guess the way i rejected him too

The BF: ?

You: i told him his rack wasnt big enough

This time, the pause between replies was even longer.

The BF: Oh my God, Levi. I am speechless, but also incredibly amused.

You: yeah i know i know, i was young and rude. but he was rly fucking persistent and it pissed me off

The BF: But I seem to recall asking you your type once, and your reply was that you have a preference for puppy-like men?

You: hm only if theyre cute

The BF: Oh. Is this guy from work not cute?

You: hmmmmm not bad but not my type

The BF: I see.

You: whats wrong erwin

The BF: What do you mean?

You: u jelly

The BF: I am not.

You: u totally are

The BF: Am not.

You: u stopped using emoticons

The BF: I didn’t notice. :O

You: its ok babe, dont be jealous. ur rack is much too amazing for me to stray. ur dick too mmm

The BF: Ohhhhhhhh myyyy Goooood, Leviiiiii.

You: LOL. k i just got home, need to go make dinner. ill bug u later, blondie xoxo

The BF: Siiigh, all right. Bye, for now. xoxoxoxoxo

* * *

Later that night, Levi lay in bed debating whether he should jerk one off before going to sleep. His libido had returned with a vengeance now that The Photo Incident wasn’t a concern anymore. After experiencing Erwin’s touch a few times, he was always craving it. He’d dropped by the pharmacy to pick up some lube after work, just in case, but...

Oh, why the fuck not. He was horny and Erwin wasn’t here and he needed to stretch his asshole so that it would be able to take in that stupid dick sometime before he died anyway. Yeah, he was totally being practical.

He squirmed out of his pants and boxers, folding them and placing them beside his pillow. Sprawling on his back and spreading his legs, he snapped open the lube cap, squirting some on to his fingers. It smelled a bit too sweet, this artificial strawberry flavour, but it would do.

He was two fingers in, nose buried in the collar of the soft shirt he’d stolen from Erwin, inhaling the blond’s scent, when he decided that he needed more. He fumbled for his phone, dropped it on the pillow beside his head, and called the moron. Erwin picked up almost immediately.

“Hello?”

“Hey,” Levi sighed, relieved to hear the real thing. His brow furrowed as he scissored his fingers, teeth sinking into his bottom lip.

“Oh, Levi! Wow, calling me two days in a row when you never do. What’s going on?” Erwin joked. He sounded so pleased that Levi felt a little guilty. But he would try to carry on a bit of a conversation. As, you know, thanks for Erwin letting him masturbate to his voice. Fuck, the speed at which he was getting turned on was alarming and kind of sad. He hoped Erwin couldn't hear the squishing noises his ass was making.

“Mmm. That’s because hearing your voice would—ngh—be a bad idea.”

Erwin didn’t say anything. Shit, was Levi breathing too loudly?

“Levi, are you all right? You sound a little off.”

He tried to say “fine”, but it ended up being a squeak when his fingers accidentally wiggled into his prostate. He grit his teeth, gasping to cover up the moan.

“Levi,” Erwin said slowly. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing, nothing,” he said quickly, his fingers continuing to move. “Just...talk to me. Wish you were here.”

“Oh.” Now Erwin was definitely pleased. “I miss you too, Levi.”

“Mm-hmm. So...uh...what did you get up to today?”

“Not much, really. I got up this morning really craving your pancakes, so I invited Mike out to IHOP with me. He called me an old man...” Erwin continued to talk about his day, but Levi was panting shallowly by this point, too concentrated on imagining that Erwin was right there beside him, that it was Erwin whispering into his ear and his fingers thrusting into Levi’s hole.

Then Erwin went silent as if he was waiting for a response, and Levi automatically blurted, “It doesn’t hurt,” conditioned to say it aloud because the idiot was always worrying about hurting him. “Only...mm...two fingers.” His eyes widened when he realized what he’d just done. “Aw, shit.”

It took Erwin a moment, but his sharp gasp told Levi the game was over. “Are you...?”

“Yeah.” Levi laughed, high-pitched and breathy. “Stretching myself because you want me to get used to it, right? Nnn, if only you were here.”

“Oh,” Erwin said meekly. He swallowed so hard that Levi picked it up over the line.

Well, now that he’d given himself away, might as well make it a good show.

He grabbed his dick, which he hadn’t been touching at all, afraid he’d come too soon, and pulled. His other hand ground hard into his prostate.

“Fuck!” he hissed, hips jumping. “I’m so hard, shit, Erwin—”

“Uh,” Erwin mumbled. His voice was already taking on that husky quality that meant he was about two seconds away from clothes-tearing.

“C’mon, Erwin, talk to me,” Levi coaxed. “Make me come with your voice.” Planting his feet flat on the mattress for more leverage, he added a third finger, promptly shoving it in. His moan rang in the dim room. His other hand teased the head of his cock, rubbing it slowly.

“Um,” Erwin stammered. “I-I don’t know how—”

Levi licked his lips. “Are you hard right now?”

“Y-Yes...”

He groaned. “I want your cock in my mouth,” he whispered. “Down my throat while I finger myself...”

“Oh, God,” Erwin rasped. Levi heard rustling, a quick zip, and then a familiar, rhythmic shlicking sound.

“Are you touching yourself?” he murmured. “Petting that big dick of yours, imagining it’s my mouth?”

“Yes, Levi,” Erwin moaned. “You always get me so hard, so fast, y-you sly minx.”

Levi whimpered, bucking desperately into his fist, his ass lifting off the mattress. He bent his fingers, stabbing that spot inside. His toes curled as a high moan burst out of his throat, but it wasn’t _enough_ , goddammit. “My fingers aren’t as thick as yours,” Levi whined. “I-I want to stick in another one.”

Erwin let out a shaky breath. “How many are you using right now?”

“Th-Three.”

“Three already?” Erwin bit. His voice was suddenly hard, the wet sounds of his hand around his cock slowing. “No more.”

“B-But—”

“No more,” Erwin ground out, low and dark. “That’s for me to do.”

The possessive tone made Levi shudder and fist his dick with renewed vigour. “Tell me what you’d do if you were here,” he said desperately.

“Mmmm,” Erwin sighed. The squelching noises, although slower now, didn’t stop. Levi imagined him sitting with his legs spread wide in his chair, pants riding low on his hips. He was probably wearing those sexy glasses of his, since he was usually still studying around this hour. He’d have a single earphone in, his head tipped back, one hand running through blond hair as the other pumped his long, thick cock. “I’d stroke your walls until they were soft and inviting,” Erwin exhaled. “You’d squirm, urging me to touch that electrifying spot in you, but I wouldn’t. I’d touch all the places around it, hit you deep inside until my fingers couldn’t go any further, but I wouldn’t touch it.”

“Y-You fucking tease,” Levi growled, but his fingers followed Erwin’s instructions. He panted, tongue swiping over his teeth.

“You’re the one who called me, all eager to get teased,” Erwin chuckled, the deep rumble echoing in Levi’s ears. “You’d struggle and fight, needing my touch on your prostate, but I wouldn’t give in that easily. I’d slide down instead, and swallow your pretty cock in one gulp.”

“Fuck,” Levi whispered. That was the first time he’d ever heard Erwin use a dirty word. The way he said ‘cock’ made Levi leak precum all over his abs.

“Yes,” Erwin hissed. “You’d be writhing under me, trying your hardest to muffle your moans against your arms because your uncle’s just in the next room. And when you finally feel like you might die from overload, I’d press hard against your prostate, just the way you wanted.”

“Ah!” Levi cried, half-turning his face into Erwin’s shirt and praying he wasn’t being too loud. His fingers picked up their pace, slamming against his good spot, his other hand furiously pumping his dick. The pressure built in his balls until he came, long spurts over his chest and stomach. His back arched, jaw falling open in a silent moan.

When he could finally see and hear again, he nudged his phone with his ear, listening to Erwin’s harsh breaths.

“Did you come?” Levi panted.

“Yes,” Erwin murmured, sounding out of breath himself. Levi melted into the mattress, letting his heart calm, listening to Erwin do the same.

“That was hot.”

“Hmmm, yeah.”

Levi sneered. “You’re a bit of a sadist, aren’t you? I screw with you a little and you totally lose it.”

Erwin’s laugh was stilted and awkward. His chair creaked. “Sorry about that. Does it bother yo—”

“Don’t even. Wasn’t it obvious how turned on I was?”

“Oh,” Erwin said. He was probably grinning like a little kid now. “I see. That’s good.”

“Yeah.” Levi reached blindly for the box of tissues on his drawer chest, wiped himself off, then tossed the tissue into his waste basket. He sighed, finally feeling warm and comfortable and satisfied. But hanging up now would be a waste. “So. What were you up to?”

“You mean before you so rudely interrupted?” Erwin quipped. “Reviewing stuff for my trial.”

“Oh. I thought you finished preparing for it.”

“I did. But I switched time slots with someone who wanted a later date, so mine’s been moved up to this Sunday.”

“Seriously? That’s way soon.”

“Yup. Would you like to come watch? It starts at nine in the morning, and should be over by noon or so. We could get lunch together.”

“Sure. I’m not gonna go over to your place on Saturday, then.”

“What? Why?” Erwin whined.

Levi rolled his eyes. “You need to concentrate on your case, moron.”

“But I’m pretty much done preparing. I was just looking over my notes again.”

“Yeah, but isn’t this thing important? You gotta do well.”

“Aww. Do I really have to wait an extra day before I can see you? Can’t you come over and hang out while I study? Like what we did during midterms when we studied together in the kinesiology building.”

“No. You’re gonna get distracted. Suck it up, you big baby.”

Erwin pouted.

“Don’t give me that look,” Levi scolded.

“You can’t even see it!”

“Yeah, I can. Your lip will get stuck that way if you keep sticking it out.”

“How did you know!” Erwin cried.

Levi grinned. “Don’t underestimate me, Blondie.”

* * *

“Bye, Dr. Jaeger,” Levi called back.

Grisha stuck his head out from one of the equipment rooms. “Bye, Levi! Have a nice weekend. And call me Grisha, for the last time!”

“Right. I’ll try to remember.” He pushed open the door, waving to their receptionist. “See you, Frieda.”

Levi stepped out on the street, warm evening air breezing across his face, cars slowly rolling by in a rush hour jam. Ah, it was the weekend. Nice weather. And he’d be seeing Erwin in only two more days.

“Levi.”

He jumped, whirling around to see the very person he’d been thinking of pushing off the wall. For some reason, the blond looked bigger than Levi remembered, but the hem of those familiar sweatpants just barely brushed against the top of Erwin’s sneakers, same as always. “Erwin! What the fuck? What are you doing here?”

“I was out buying groceries,” Erwin said proudly, thrusting out a single bag. Levi stared at him, and then at the bag.

“You...went out to buy one bag of stuff?” He glanced inside. “Erwin, there is literally one tomato in here.”

Erwin’s eyes went round and he jerked back, holding the bag to his chest. “You weren’t supposed to look inside!”

“What, to see that you went and bought one tomato?” Levi deadpanned.

Erwin spluttered.

Levi narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms.

The blond deflated. “All right, I admit it, I’m sorry. I was just using grocery shopping as an excuse to come see you.”

Warmth bubbled in Levi’s chest, but he kept his unimpressed glower in place. “And you couldn’t have waited two more days.”

Erwin looked down at his feet. The dark-haired man could see his floppy golden retriever ears drooping. “But I missed you,” he mumbled.

Levi bit on the inside of his cheeks and pinched his upper arm to keep from jumping up and down and squealing. He sighed in as exasperated a manner as he could manage. “Fine, fine. Since you’re so desperate, I’ll let you take me to your place.”

Erwin’s head shot up, his smile lighting up the whole street. “Really?”

“Yeah, but only to make you dinner. And then I’m gonna go home and you’re gonna review and try not to fail your fucking trial.”

“I won’t!” Erwin promised. “I wouldn’t have come if I wasn’t sure of that.”

“Good. You gotta bring justice ‘till the day you die, right?” Levi drawled.

“Yes.” Erwin straightened. “That’s right.”

He smirked. “Okay, big guy. Let’s get going then. Bus stop’s that way.” He took Erwin’s arm, guiding him towards the crosswalk. Erwin grinned.

“You know, I did come by bus. I know where the bus stop is,” he said pointedly.

“I don’t care.” Levi didn’t release his arm. Erwin’s grin was almost reaching his ears by now.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, Erwin sneaking the occasional glance down at Levi, who was beginning to fluster from the attention. He looked up, catching Erwin staring down at him, and glared.

“What’re you staring at.”

Erwin averted his gaze. “Nothing.”

“If you don’t tell me, I might have to reconsider going to your place,” Levi said nonchalantly.

“That’s not fair,” Erwin whined. “I was staring at your pants.”

Levi looked down at his spandex work-out pants. A light bulb went off in his head. “What, too tight for you?” He sidled closer, pressing himself against Erwin’s side. The blond stiffened. “It’s not like you haven’t seen me in them before.”

“Well, yes,” Erwin grumbled. “But that guy at your work place probably hasn’t.”

“Oh my God,” Levi huffed. “So that’s what this is about! Aww, who knew adorable little Erwin could get so jealous?”

“I am not little. Or adorable, for that matter,” Erwin muttered sullenly.

“Uh huh. Well, maybe not ‘little’.” Levi watched him, cocking his head. “I see you forgot to shave again today.”

Erwin rubbed his chin, confused with the subject change. “Oh. Shoot, it slipped my mind.” Then he realized what Levi meant, and turned doe eyes on the smaller man. “Does this mean you won’t kiss me until I do?” Levi pursed his lips, pretending to think. He glanced around quickly, and then promptly shoved Erwin into the alley between a sushi restaurant and fashion jewelry store. He turned his face up and closed his eyes. Erwin immediately brought him close, then leaned down and pecked him on the lips.

“Hmm.” Levi blinked. “Not too bad. A little prickly, but I can work with this.”

Erwin’s eyes twinkled. “Good.” He picked Levi up off the ground and pinned him against the wall.

“What the fu—” Levi squawked, instinctively wrapping his arms and legs around Erwin. The blond crowded closer, his forehead tapping against the dark-haired man's.

“This is much easier on my neck,” he said matter-of-factly, and then kissed Levi.

They were brief, closed-mouth kisses at first, a simple press of lips on lips that was sweet in a way different from more intimate contact. Then Levi opened his mouth, tongue brushing against Erwin’s bottom lip. Erwin met him with wet heat, his own tongue gently caressing Levi’s. The smaller man kept his legs and one arm wound tightly around Erwin, but his free arm roamed, and he stroked that stubbly cheek, trailing back towards soft golden locks. Erwin held a steadying hand under Levi’s bottom, the other one tracing beneath Levi’s closed eye, cupping the side of his face, his ear, his neck. Levi sighed, his lips soft and yielding.

Moments later, he pulled away. He could've spent all day kissing Erwin in that alley, but he would’ve gotten a boner if they’d kept on going. And hiding boners in public was not fun.

“We should do this more often,” he said, brushing Erwin’s hair out of his eyes.

“I agree,” the blond replied, and kissed him on the nose.

* * *

Sunday couldn’t come more quickly. Levi was practically vibrating with anticipation through all of Saturday, eager to spend an entire day with Erwin. He went to sleep early and woke before his alarm went off. Speeding through his morning routine, he then buttoned on a crisp white shirt and black dress pants, and carefully knotted his navy blue tie. It was getting warmer lately, but he wasn’t sure exactly how formal the hearing would be, so he brought his blazer on his arm, just in case.

He was waiting at the bus stop when someone called his name, and did a double take when he spotted Hange waving and running up to him. “What are you doing here, shitter?”

“Well, aren’t you just as cheerful as ever,” Hange sang. They did a little twirl before stopping in front of Levi. His nose scrunched up at the stench of booze. “I slept over at a friend’s house last night ‘cause we stayed up too late drinking. She was dumped by her five-year boyfriend, the poor thing. Thought I’d surprise you since her house is near yours, but Kenny said you’d already left.”

“No wonder you fucking smell like a drunkard.

"Oh, really?" Hange took a whiff of their shirt. "I think that's just my clothes, though. I didn't get too drunk last night 'cause I had to take care of her. But anyway, where are you off to so early in the morning? And all dressed up too, damn." 

"Erwin’s trial starts at nine.”

“Ohhh,” Hange sneered, jabbing Levi in the side with their elbow. “Cleaned up all nice for him, didja? Eh? Eh?”

“Shut up,” Levi grumbled. “It’s supposed to be this super legit thing. Everyone in the audience needs to look like hot shit too.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. So you’re going straight to campus? Not meeting up with him?”

“Nah. He had to get there early. I’m going directly to the law building. You wanna come with?”

“Sure,” Hange shrugged. “I was going to drop by campus later anyway. Still got a few interviews with profs before I decide on one to do research under.”

“Sometimes I forget that you have a brain under all that mess,” Levi smirked.

Hange scoffed and flipped their hair. “Please. You’ll be calling me Dr. Zoe one day. This ain’t even my final form yet.”

Levi snorted. “Sure, whatever. Not like having a ‘doctor’ attached to your name would make you any less of a shitter.”

“Says the one always making poop jokes.”

* * *

Levi trailed behind, checking his watch as Hange jumped off the bus and ran for the law building. They blew out a low whistle and flung their arms out, bending backwards as if to greet the looming structure. “Man, this place never fails to impress the crap out of me.”

“Yeah, it’s nice,” Levi admitted, climbing up the stone steps. Hange skipped to catch up to him.

“Yo, speaking of nice buildings though, did you see that snap Petra sent of Oluo’s house?”

“Who’s—oh, the splat guy. Yeah, it was fucking gorgeous.”

“Right?!” They crowed. “And apparently, it’s under his name, not his parents’ or whatever. The guy’s probably...you know.” They rubbed the tips of their index finger and thumb together, leering. “I bet Petra’s thrilled.”

Levi rolled his eyes. “Petra doesn’t give a shit about his money.”

“I know, I know, I was kidding,” Hange said, waving dismissively. “I’m just saying anyone with a brain would be thrilled. But you know, his face...I mean, like, he wasn’t...the best-looking dude on earth or anything. I thought Petra liked hotties.”

“I dunno,” Levi said, pushing open the heavy glass door. He was met with a whoosh of woody-smelling air, reminding him of the times he’d studied in the library with Erwin. “That’s what I said to Erwin too, but he was pretty convinced they’re connected on a deeper level.”

“Eh, I guess.” Hange put their hands on their hips and looked around the wide, empty atrium. “Wait, so where is this trial supposed to be? I’ll walk you there before I ditch. I kinda wanna see what all the fuss is about.”

“Oh, shit. I forgot to ask Erwin where it was.” Levi patted his pockets for his phone.

“Whatever, let’s just ask around then. He might not see it if you text him now anyway.” Hange headed for the elevators. “Do you know which floor?”

“Uh.” Levi drifted closer. There was a floor plan by the button panel, which he gave a cursory skim. “Maybe the seventh?”

“’Kay.” Hange pressed the up button, and they got on, the doors sliding shut with a ding. “Anyway, back to Petra. So I texted her, right? ‘Cause I was curious why she liked this Oluo dude so much.”

“Uh huh,” Levi said. He slipped his phone out of his pocket and quickly unlocked it. “Keep talking, I’m gonna check to see if I got any texts.”

“Alrighty. But yeah, and she started rambling about how amazing he was and how well he understood her and how she could totally be herself around him.” The elevator stopped with another chime, doors opening. Levi glanced up from his phone, but they were only on the third floor. He stepped back to give more room to two smartly dressed law students, and Hange huddled closer, lowering their voice. “And she was like, ‘once I accidentally burped in front of him, and he just blushed and told me even my burps were cute!’”

Levi laughed through his nose. “Seriously?”

“Yeah!” Hange whispered. “Can you believe that? They’ve been going out for like, what, over a week? They’re nastier than even you and Erwin, ugh. You guys are gonna give me warm fuzzy cooties.”

“Is someone jelly?” Levi taunted, scrolling through his phone. The elevator ding’d again, but he didn’t bother to look up this time. The law students in front of them got off.

“I am not,” Hange sniffed. “I just think you—”

The way they suddenly cut off tore Levi's attention away from his text message log. He was about to ask what was wrong, but the words died in his throat at their expression. He scowled, turning to see what Hange was gaping at, but they side-stepped into Levi’s direct line of sight, their wide eyes and slack jaw tightening into pure panic. “What the fu—” he got out, before Hange was repeatedly stabbing the button that closed the elevator doors. Levi blinked as they slid shut.

“Wrong floor!” Hange chirped, laughing nervously. Levi’s eyes fell to the lit-up seven on the panel.

“Uh. No, it isn’t,” he said slowly.

“I don’t think the hearing’s on this floor!” Hange exclaimed. “Maybe we should try the eighth? Eight for good luck, you know!”

His eyes narrowed. “What the fuck is goi—”

Just then, the doors slid open again, and something over Hange’s shoulder caught his attention.

Down the far end of the long hallway were two people whose faces he couldn’t clearly see from this distance, but it was obvious who they were. A girl with long brown hair was embracing a tall blond, her face buried in his chest.

Levi mouth went dry. He could feel his heart pumping. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hange slowly turn to see what he was looking at.

“Fuck,” they muttered. “Levi, let’s go.”

The law students who had pressed the button for the elevator were staring at them curiously, but Levi didn’t give a shit.

“No,” he mumbled, taking a step forward. “I’m going to him.”

“Levi,” Hange pleaded, blocking his way. “You can talk to him another time. Come on, let’s go now.”

“No,” he said firmly, pushing Hange aside. “He’s definitely just comforting her or something. Or it’s a hug for good luck for his hearing.”

“Levi, plea—” They stopped, alarmed by Levi’s expression, and whipped around.

Marie and Erwin were kissing. She was standing on her tip-toes in the exact same way Levi had tried once what felt like eons ago, but the difference was that she could reach. Her arms were hooked around Erwin’s neck, and the blond’s hands were holding on to her hips.

Levi only saw for a fraction of a second because the next moment, Hange was slamming their fist on the button panel and the doors were closing, the elevator silently moving down. But it felt like he’d been looking for eternity. The image of his boyfriend kissing another person was etched into his mind.

It was Hange’s quiet “fuck” that brought Levi out of his numbness. “Wait,” he said. “I have to go back.”

They gawked at him. “Are you crazy? No, you’re going home now. Or to my place. Or Petra’s. Wherever, it doesn’t matter, but you are not going back up there.”

Levi’s head was pounding. His jaw ached. “We only saw what was happening for a split second. He could’ve been pushing her away. I have to go check.” He pressed the button for the seventh floor again, but the elevator was already descending to the ground floor.

“Levi, please,” Hange said quietly, catching his arm. “I know it was a shock, but you’d only make a scene if you go to him right now. And as a friend, I can’t let you do that to yourself.”

“Erwin wouldn’t cheat,” Levi snapped, stubbornly pressing the seven again.

Hange didn’t say anything.

“I trust him. He wouldn’t do that to me or anyone else.”

Their grip on his arm tightened, but they remained silent, a muscle in their jaw jumping.

“Yeah.” Levi nodded to himself and swallowed. “Yeah, I have to go back. I’d need proof to believe he was cheati—”

“What more proof do you want?!” Hange exploded, their shout ringing in the small space. Levi jumped, eyes wide as they grabbed him by the shoulders. He’d never seen them so angry before, red blotches blooming on their face. “They were fucking _kissing_ , Levi! He has a fucking photo of her in his fucking wallet! What do you need before you’ll believe the proof that’s already there, huh? You want him to apologize? You’ll believe him without a second thought if he stutters his way through some stupid, cliché ‘it’s not what it seems’ bullshit excuse? Would it have been easier if you’d seen them naked in bed together? _Open your goddamn eyes!_ ”

Levi stared at Hange, his eyes wandering over their dear, familiar face. Their pain, masked behind blind fury, made his chest ache. The elevator chimed open, and Levi finally looked away.

“But he wouldn’t...” he murmured, his voice getting dangerously hoarse. Hange sighed, and brought him into their arms, stroking his hair. His knees felt weak, so he clung to them, face buried in their shoulder.

“Let’s get you home. Okay? You’ll have your talk with Erwin soon enough. But not now. Not right now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks as always for reading!! :D


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello all

Levi didn’t know why he was sitting on Petra’s living room floor, binge-watching How I Met Your Mother and eating ice cream when he should’ve been at Erwin’s trial, offering his support. In fact, he didn’t even know why he was eating ice cream, at noon no less, or why Petra had immediately broken out the beer.

Nothing was confirmed yet. He wasn’t done yet. _He and Erwin_ weren’t done yet. Why were his friends, who had so readily accepted this addition to his life, so quick to throw him away, too?

This was wrong. The longer he sat there, the more the shock gave way to determination, as Levi realized that accepting everything without question would be no different from betraying Erwin. Erwin was so good to him. He deserved to be given the benefit of the doubt—innocent until proven guilty—before Levi should even begin to get angry. 

He'd gotten a text when he and Hange had dropped by his house to get him into comfortable clothes. He'd been too dazed to check his phone then, but he pulled it out now.

It was a message from Erwin, right before his trial was scheduled to start:

The BF: Levi, I don’t see you anywhere. Are you coming?

And that was it.

But of course, it made sense that that was all Erwin said. What had Levi been expecting, an essay on why he’d been kissing Marie? How stupid.

He thought about how to reply, but before he could come up with half a coherent sentence, his phone buzzed in his hand. Hange and Petra immediately whirled around, a mixture of anxiety and anger and fear in their faces that had nothing to do with how Ted was screwing up his millionth date. Levi might've found it comical another time.

The BF: Levi, the trial is over and I still don’t see you anywhere. Did I maybe miss you?

He stared at the words. What was he even supposed to say at a time like this?

You: no i didnt go

The BF: Oh, I thought you said you were coming? You could’ve told me if you were busy.

You: yeah sry. how was it

The BF: I think I performed to the best of my ability. Where are you right now?

You: petras

The BF: Petra’s house? Did something happen?

You: no

Levi clenched his jaw. Shit, he had to do something.

You: can we talk

The BF: Sure. There’s actually something that I need to talk to you about as well. Where would you like to meet?

Erwin wanted to talk to him about something. No emoticons. His stomach lurched. He shouldn’t have eaten all that ice cream, after all.

You: ur place?

The BF: All right. See you in ten?

You: k

Levi climbed to his feet. “I have to go,” he declared. Hange and Petra jumped up with him.

“Erwin?” Hange asked.

“Yeah.”

“Where are you going?” Petra said, worrying her lip.

“His place.” He headed for the door, his friends trailing after him.

“Call if you need us, okay?” Hange said, patting him on the shoulder, and Petra nodded frantically. Levi tried to muster a smile, but only his cheek twitched.

“Yeah. See you.”

* * *

His hand hovered over the doorbell. He didn’t know why he was being such a little bitch, because honest to God, he still didn’t believe that Erwin would go behind his back.

But it hurt, seeing him kiss someone else.

He pressed the button.

A stomp-stomp-stomp came from inside before the door cracked open. Erwin was still in his suit, the knot of his tie pulled half-way down, hair immaculate. Levi stared at his mouth, wondering if he’d find any traces of lipstick, but there were none.

“Levi,” Erwin said shortly and moved aside. “Right on time. Come in.”

Levi stood there, blinking. He’d braced himself for an excessive display of affection, customary of meetings with the blond after they hadn't seen each other in at least a couple days, but Erwin wasn't even really smiling.

“Thanks,” he muttered, stepping in so Erwin could close the door. He paused at the landing, unsure if he should go further inside, but Erwin brushed past him and headed straight for the living room. He glanced back when he noticed that Levi wasn’t following him.

“You’re not coming in?” he asked.

“Ah. Uh. I am.” Levi pulled his shoes off and stepped over the landing. He followed Erwin to the couch and sat on the end closer to the door while Erwin settled down on the other side.

“So, you said you wanted to talk about something?” the blond asked, his fingers laced in his lap.

Levi shifted and crossed his arms. “Yeah, but you can go first.”

“No, it’s fine. You go first,” Erwin said, the corners of his mouth pulling down. “Mine will probably take a while.”

“Okay.” Levi took a deep breath. In, out. He looked Erwin straight in the eye. “I saw you and Marie kissing this morning.”

Erwin's eyes went wide, the blood draining from his face. Levi watched his entire body stiffen. “You saw that?” he said shakily.

Levi nodded. The blond's reaction made the black hole in his stomach grow, but he pressed on. “I'm assuming I saw wrong. Or that there's another explanation.”

Erwin’s mouth snapped shut, and his Adam’s apple bobbed. His lips parted, but nothing came out. Levi waited patiently, the wall clock’s ticks thunderous in his ears, but he couldn't be bothered to count them. An eternity passed before Erwin’s face fell. He shrank into himself, his hands trembling.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

Levi’s heart jumped once, and then it was slamming against his rib cage. “You’re...sorry?”

“I’m sorry,” Erwin repeated, looking down at his lap. “I. I will not make any excuses.”

“What?” Levi's fingertips went cold. He couldn’t feel his feet or the weight of his head. “What?”

Erwin was gritting his teeth so hard Levi could see a vein popping in his neck. “I’m sorry.”

“Wait. Wait, wait, wait.” Levi laughed. “I don’t understand what you’re apologizing for. So you’re telling me that I didn’t make a mistake? That was a kiss I saw between you two? Like, a real one?”

Erwin audibly inhaled. Levi held his breath, but the blue eyes he was boring into closed, blocking him off.

“Yes.”

His arms slowly fell to his sides.

This couldn’t be happening.

This could not be happening.

“So...you two were really kissing?” Levi said quietly.

Erwin breathed out. “Yes. I’m...sorry you had to see it, but that is the reality of the situation.”

“Why?” Levi murmured.

Erwin didn't answer.

“Why?” he said again, louder.

“I—” Erwin’s voice cracked. “I have nothing more to say.”

Levi blinked at him.

His chest hurt. It hurt so much. There were many things he wanted to ask.

Why aren’t you explaining anything to me?

Am I not worthy of even an explanation?

Were you with her while you were with me?

How long have you been lying to me?

Why did you choose me?

Why didn’t you choose me?

Am I not good enough for you?

 

...Am I not good enough?

But he said none of those things. Instead, what burst from his throat was, “How could you?” Erwin flinched like the words had been a physical blow. “Why? You don’t have anything else to say?”

Erwin closed his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“What the fuck does ‘I’m sorry’ even mean?!” Levi shouted, grabbing a cushion and hurling it to the ground.

He stared at Erwin, at his wobbling chin, his quivering hands, the weakness of him, and fury erupted from his chest like an age-old dam had broken, so easily shattered by a couple of words. And it was so fucking unfair, because why did his heart have to ache for how small Erwin looked in this moment? What right did Erwin have to even feel sadness right now? Erwin had ruined it all. _He_ was the one who had ruined it.

Levi stumbled to his feet. His breaths were harsh, but he did not feel the urge to cry. He felt cold from head to toe, but the rage burning in his chest kept him upright. “I misjudged you, Erwin Smith.”

Erwin’s breath hitched, and he was trembling all over now, but his gaze stayed glued to his lap. Levi stared down at the crown of his blond head.

“You can throw my toothbrush away,” he said calmly. Erwin’s head shot up and the muscles in his arms flexed as if he was trying to reach out, but his hands might as well have been chained together with how tightly they were clasped, white and shaky. The look on his face made Levi want to take him into his arms and shush him, tell him everything would be all right.

He averted his gaze, and strode towards the entryway. Silently, he pulled on his shoes, and then without another look back, he opened the front door.

“Goodbye, Erwin,” he said, and shut it behind him with a final click.

* * *

Levi made it to the bus somehow. Despite his earlier bravado, he was a little out of it, and his head hurt. But he didn’t want to think about anything anymore.

It was only one pm when he got home. Strangely early, considering how long the day had felt.

“Hey, thought you were staying at Petra’s,” Kenny said from in front of the TV. He was watching Iron Chef. Levi had always thought it odd that he liked watching cooking shows when he couldn’t cook to save his life.

“Yeah, well, I’m back.” He trudged up the stairs to his room.

For some reason, he paused when he got to the doorway, and took a good look inside. This was the room he'd been living in for, what, over ten years? He looked at his bed, the chest of drawers beside it. Across from it, his desk was cleared off, empty of everything except his shoulder bag, laptop, a couple pens, pencils, and erasers. His dark blue curtains were parted to the side, window open to cool the warm room. During late spring and summer, it often got so stuffy here on the second floor that it had become habit for Levi to keep his window open. But he didn’t remember opening it this morning. Maybe Kenny had done it for him.

He sat on his bed. The mattress had always been just a bit too soft for his liking, but that was particularly true today. The crows outside cawed in chorus, noisy as ever. 

His room was familiar, and still his, but different now. Like a lot of other things. 

He didn't know what to do. There was nothing to do. His online massage course wouldn’t start for another week, so he didn't have anything to study. His only plans for today had been to...no, he didn’t have any plans. He literally had nothing to do. Usually, he’d gossip with Hange and Petra on Facebook when he got this bored, but he wasn’t in the mood right now.

Fuck. There had to be something he could use to entertain himself with. Levi rolled off his bed and went back downstairs, stopping beside the couch.

“Hey, anything you want me to do?”

Kenny glanced at him. “Uh, not really. Are you talking about chores?”

“Yeah. Or anything else.”

“I don’t know. You do all the chores on your own so I never know what’s going on.”

Levi sighed and cocked a hip. “What about the garage? Or the yard?”

“Pretty neat, I guess. You could mow the lawn if you want. Why, you bored?”

“Isn’t that obvious?” Levi grunted. “Whatever, I’ll find something. By the way, what do you want for dinner?”

Kenny finally looked away from the TV and gaped at him. “You’re asking what I want to eat?”

“Well, what the fuck else do you do during dinner besides eat?”

“You always just cook whatever the hell you want.”

Levi quirked an eyebrow. “I was thinking of cooking a shit-ton of super fucking fantastic food today, so I was gonna include something you wanted, but if not, then whatever, your loss.”

“Sushi!” Kenny cried, gripping the back of the couch as he stared imploringly up at Levi. “Your handmade sushi.”

On the TV, the cook was molding what looked like sticky rice between his fingers. Levi rolled his eyes. “Gee, I wonder why.”

“So that’s a yes?” Kenny grinned.

“Yeah, yeah, okay. Sushi, it is. I’m gonna go look for something productive to do now.”

“Sure, whatever you want.”

Levi pulled on the old pair of sneakers he used for outside work. The temperature was low enough that he could comfortably mow the lawn even when the sun was high in the sky, as long as he kept a cap and sunglasses on. Tying a handkerchief around his nose, 'cause ugh, pollen, he pulled the lawnmower out of the garage.

He was sweating by the time he'd finished mowing their front and back lawn. Pulling off his makeshift mask with a flourish, he fanned himself, blowing hair out of his face. Maybe this would be a good time to give the gutters a cursory hose-through as well.

He hauled out the ladder, propping it against the roof. Its obnoxious clanking had Kenny ambling outside, shielding his eyes against the sun.

"What are you doing?" Kenny yelled.

"Cleaning our fucking disgusting gutters!" Levi called back.

"It's fine to clean them once a year, you know! Wouldn't it be better to do it in the fall?"

"Whatever, I'm free right now anyway so might as well!"

Kenny just shrugged and drifted back inside.

The gutters were done in a speedy half hour, which Levi gave himself a pat on the back for. He spent the remainder of the afternoon trimming the large trees in their yard (to this day, he still had no idea what type of trees they were, just that they would get fucking huge if they weren’t decimated once a year), and then he set up the timer for the water sprinkler they used on their grass.

By four, he was back inside, ditching his damp t-shirt and sweatpants in the laundry hamper for a fresh set of lazy home clothes. He scoured through their fridge for stuff he could use for dinner.

Levi was a pretty good cook, if he did say so himself. It wasn’t just that he’d been learning since he was young; he was good at multitasking, had a precise sense of timing, and his taste buds were sharp. And he enjoyed it too, because there were so many things he had to think about at once that whatever shitty mood he was in was usually dispelled by the time he’d finished arranging a tableful of masterpiece dishes.

That said, he might've gone a little...overboard today.

When Kenny caught sight of the literal tableful of food, his eyes popped.

“Holy fuck. Is there some kinda special occasion today?” he said, falling into a chair. “We’re gonna be eating leftovers for days, kiddo.”

“I’ll take some over to Petra and Hange later.”

“Oh, good idea.” Kenny picked up his fork, stabbing a piece of pasta. “And maybe Erwin, too.”

Levi froze. All the work he’d done outside, the hours he’d slaved away in the kitchen, suddenly didn’t matter anymore. His hands were cold again.

“We'll see,” he muttered.

* * *

Armed with bags filled to the brim with tupperwares, Levi walked all the way to Petra’s dorm, where he knew Hange was probably still camping out. His fingers were hurting by the time he got there, but getting warmly glomped by his friends the second they saw him made it worthwhile.

They didn’t ask anything. It was probably obvious by the look on his face and the amount of food he’d randomly cooked. He was grateful for their astuteness.

They watched Netflix until the sky was pitch black outside—by then, they were halfway through Season 3 of How I Met Your Mother, of which Petra and Hange were both outrageously proud—before Levi decided that it was time to go home. Petra offered to let him stay the night, but he hadn’t showered yet, and he didn’t want to sleep in clothes he’d worn while cooking. Or borrow Petra’s tiny ones, for that matter.

He said his goodbyes, touched by the concern and love gleaming on their faces, and took the bus home.

* * *

It was two am and Levi couldn’t sleep again. He groaned into his pillow and tried counting sheep.

...88 over the fence...89 over the fence...90 over the—

Okay, who the fuck even came up with this counting sheep shit? Did it work on anyone? Ever?

Exhausted and pissed off, Levi picked up his phone and had unthinkingly tapped on the text messaging icon when he stopped and asked himself what he was doing.

He couldn’t do that anymore. He could no longer text Erwin whenever he was bored, tired, having a good day, having a bad day, or simply craving the moron’s affection. He couldn’t call him in the middle of the night, sorry for waking him but overjoyed anyway when he picked up.

Most importantly, he shouldn’t want to do those things. But it was two am, that quiet point of night universally accepted as the time to admit to one's vulnerabilities and imperfections.

Levi pressed on his message history with ‘The BF’. Starting from the bottom, he scrolled up, reading through all their months’ worth of conversations.

The BF: Levi, the trial is over and I still don’t see you anywhere. Did I maybe miss you?

The BF: How was work today, darling? ;)

The BF: Say, if you can’t sleep, can I call yuo?

The BF: Oh, Levi! Congratulations! I’m so happy for you. :D xoxo

The BF: I find that massages help with cramps. ;)

The BF: By the way, I thought you might appreciate some proof that I can indeed make grilled salmon.

The BF: Were you not referring to literal milkshakes? :O

The BF: But you’d be bored without me, right? :(

The BF: <3

The BF: I’m a commander?

The BF: A sweater that my grandmother knit for me and those sweatpants that you hate, the ones with the hole in the right knee.

The BF: Thanks, but I think you’re even more handsome.

The BF: WOW, that was so close! Actually, it’s “Levi BB <3”

The BF: I need to ask you something very important tomorrow afternoon, if you’re free.

The BF: Levi, are you seeing anyone?

The BF: Emoticons? No, I’ve never heard of them.

The BF: Yes, I’d love to study with you another time!

The BF: I’m glad I met you again.

The BF: Hello! This is Erwin Smith, from the grocery store!

His thumb continued its scrolling motion even though he knew he’d hit the beginning already. The end. There was no more.

His nose was stinging, and he could barely make out the shape of the letters anymore, but he read it all one more time, this time from the top. In chronological order, the conversations came together. He saw himself grinning as he replied to the messages: on the bus, on his bed, at his desk, at random spots all over the city. He remembered the places they went together, the things they did between each gap in conversation, his mind filling in the spaces.

Hey, Erwin.

Do you remember what you were wearing when we met again, what seems like years ago now? Do you remember the way you smiled when I found you at the law building with Hange and Petra, day one after we began dating? Do you remember my warmth on you as you piggybacked me around the supermarket? Do you remember Chinese take-out, mesh shirts, green tea, “Stay with me”, candlelit stories of bloody clowns and unzipped flies and talking teddy bears? Do you remember our kisses, and everything beyond them?

Do you remember?

Were you happy? As happy with me as I was with you?

The BF: Good morning, Levi. Sad that you’re not the first thing I see this morning. :( Missing your bathroom jokes already. xoxoxo

Levi brushed his fingertips over the words, reading them over and over again until he could no longer see through his blurred vision. His phone dropped to the bed as he curled on his side, the comforter slipping over his head. He covered his face and let himself cry.

* * *

Levi went into work the next day after a sleepless night. Thankfully, his eyes were only slightly red-rimmed; he’d had the insight to ice his stupid swollen eyelids when he’d woken up. Dr. Jaeger and a few co-workers asked him if he was all right, but they were easily placated when he told them he’d just been too busy to sleep. Work was hectic, as usual, lots of running around and indirect exercising, so no one pried, and he didn’t get a chance to drown in his thoughts.

He didn’t cry that night, or the night after. He worked himself so hard during the day that he’d pass out on his bed as soon as he showered. But even without working himself to the bone, Levi wouldn't have cried anyway. He was strong. He wouldn’t let something like this get him down. How long had he and Erwin been going out for, anyway? A month? Somewhere around there. Of course, there was that odd sense of déjà vu he got sometimes, as if he’d known Erwin for much longer than that, as if he knew him on a deeper level. But what did it matter now, really? A month-old relationship was nothing. Levi was picking himself up already.

First loves never worked out, anyway.

* * *

Friday came before Levi realized. It was an odd thing to feel, but he could sense his facial muscles returning to his control. Maybe he’d be able to genuinely smile within another couple days or so.

He picked up some sushi on the way home, opting for take-out rather than home-cooking for the first time that week. And then he decided to call Hange, because the weather was nice and he was in a relatively chatty mood. He was also long overdue for some Mr. Splat gossip.

“Hello?”

“Yo, shitter.”

“Levi!” Hange yelled. He flinched, jerking his phone away from his ear.

“What the fuck, you’re so fucking loud all the time.”

“Oh, sorry, sorry! I was just excited to hear from you. How ya doin’, huh?”

“Eh, decent, I guess.”

“Yeah, well, you better be, seeing how you’ve been ignoring us on Facebook. Asshole,” Hange griped.

He snorted. “Sorry about that, work’s been busy. I fall asleep right after dinner.”

“Wow, getting old, aren’t you?”

“Shut the fuck up. You’re the same age.”

“Yeah, but I’m still spry as fuck!” Hange hooted.

“Oh my God, shut up. So how’s Petra? I would’ve called her too but I never know when her interviews are.”

“Oh, she’s as chipper as you’d expect. Wait. Did you know that Oluo finally kissed her?”

Levi gawked. A girl he passed on the sidewalk gave him a weird look. “You’re shitting me.”

“I’m not! She was totally squealing about it. It was hilarious. Hold on, where are you right now?”

“I’m walking home. Just got off from work.”

“Oh, okay. Well, check Facebook when you get Wi-Fi. The way she freaks out is totally amazing.”

Levi smirked. “I can kind of imagine.”

Caught up in Hange’s antics, Levi was too preoccupied to see the figure on his porch.

He almost dropped his bags when he looked up the stairs to his front door. For one brief second, he considered turning around and running.

“Hange,” he said hoarsely, interrupting them mid-sentence. “I’ll call you back.” He tucked his phone back into his pocket, and took a few steps closer. He cleared his throat.

Erwin turned, eyes widening when he saw Levi. “Levi! I...I was just about to ring your doorbell. I. Um. I thought you were usually home by now.”

Levi stared at him. As the shock wore off, irritation began simmering in his veins. Erwin looked good. The circles under his eyes were a smudge darker than they usually were, and his eyes were kind of bloodshot, but otherwise, his hair was neat and he was clean-shaven. He was wearing actual outside clothes for once.

Well, didn’t he look just fucking fine and dandy.

“What the fuck do you want,” Levi muttered. He told his chest to go fuck itself when it tightened at the way Erwin’s face crumbled.

“I just—”

“Get down from there first. Kenny’s gonna hear you.” Erwin bit his lips and obeyed, climbing down the stairs. Levi backed away a couple steps and crossed his arms.

Erwin gestured at his bags. “Um...do you need help with tho—”

“No. Get to the point. I ain’t got all fucking day here.”

Erwin winced. He stared at a spot on Levi’s shirt, not meeting the smaller man’s eyes. “I—I just wanted to apologize again. Um. I know it must have been quite a shock.”

Pain lanced through his heart at the reminder, but Levi just raised an eyebrow, tapping his foot. “Is that all? Because you’ve said that already and I’m over it.”

Erwin’s lips pressed into a tight line and he fidgeted.

Levi sighed, rubbing his eyelids. “What do you want from me, Erwin?”

“I.” Erwin swallowed. “I was hoping you’d...reconsider.”

“What?” Levi said flatly. “What is there to reconsider?”

The blond took a deep breath and straightened, staring into Levi’s eyes. “Remember how I said I had to tell you something that day?” Levi nodded reluctantly. “I was going to come clean and tell you about Marie. And if you were okay with it, I wanted to continue with our relationship. I really like you, Levi. I don’t want to give you up so easily.”

“If...I was okay with it?” Levi echoed. “As in, if I was okay with you kissing her?”

Erwin nodded.

“So you...” Levi’s brow scrunched up. “You want me to...accept that you do things with other people? Go to your place, watch a movie, do fucking nasty things with you while knowing that you kiss other people?”

Erwin seemed to lose his composure at that. “I—I—um—”

But Levi could see the affirmation on his face. His eyes widened. He unintentionally took a step back.

“Holy shit,” he whispered, horrified. “You’re a fucking asshole. I can’t believe—I thought you were such a saint. But you’re a complete asshole.”

Erwin stood there in shock.

He had to ask one more time. "You want me to go along with your cheating?"

Erwin's shoulders dropped. "Levi..."

“I’m done here.” Levi shook his head. “You need to go home.” He made to brush past Erwin, but the blond grabbed him around the arm.

“Wait!”

“What the fuck,” he hissed, throwing Erwin's hand off. “Don’t touch me.”

Erwin looked so stricken that Levi almost regretted it.

“I—please, just—a few minutes of your time,” Erwin stammered. “Please, Levi.”

“What the fuck more do you want from me?” Levi’s voice was rising, but he couldn’t bring himself to care anymore. “I should’ve—I should’ve listened to Hange. The rumours were right. How could I have been so blind? You’re fucking insane.”

“Levi,” Erwin begged. “Please. Please don’t walk out. I—I didn’t mean to do it—”

Levi threw his head back and laughed. He laughed so hard he was wiping tears out of his eyes when he sneered, “Didn’t mean to do it. Ah, now that’s a classic. What, didn’t mean to cheat? Didn’t mean to want two people at the same time? You just can't help it? What else have you done behind my back, huh?” Levi leaned close to Erwin’s face, and he knew his expression was probably dark and ugly right now, but he didn’t give a fuck. “Have you slept with her in the same bed that you did with me? Hm? Made her squirm on your dick? Or did you have to spend a couple days stretching her first, too?”

Erwin’s face was so white he could have been a corpse. “L-Levi—”

“You know what?” Levi smiled, all sharp teeth. He straightened and rearranged the bags on his arms, making sure the styrofoam cartons were lying flat. “It doesn’t matter to me anymore, even if you did do those things. I’m over you now.”

Erwin stared at him. Levi met his eyes evenly. Erwin’s gaze fell from his face, dropping to his feet. His bottom lip trembled. Levi hated himself for how it made the lump solidify in his throat.

“Bye, Erwin. For real, this time. I hope I never have to see your face again.”

And he walked past him, climbing up the steps to the front door. He dug his keys out of his pocket, sliding them into the lock and pulling the door open. When it was safely shut behind him, he fell against it, his breaths coming in quickly.

He swallowed past the stubborn thing in his throat, and peered out of the peek hole. But Erwin was no longer there.

Levi dropped the sushi on the dining room table, ignoring Kenny’s greeting, and headed straight for his room. He held it together until the door was closed, and then he slowly collapsed to the floor, silent sobs wracking his body. He sank his teeth into his fist to muffle his gasps, but they came anyway. “Erwin,” he whimpered, tears streaming down his cheeks.

His Erwin had been imaginary. He didn’t even exist.

* * *

Saturday morning, Levi slowly opened his eyes to the white ceiling. He was on his bed for some reason. Oh, right, he'd crawled up after his pathetic little crying session last night. Fuck, he felt like his eyeballs had gotten rolled over by a truck, they were so swollen. He groaned and rolled over, burying himself under his pillow. It was too fucking bright.

Shit. No. It was time to get his act together. How long did he plan on acting like a depressed little fuckhead for? He was twenty-three years old, for Christ’s sake, and not fit for behaving like a stupid, snot-nosed pre-teen.

With great effort, he found his phone.

Conversation: Hange Zoe, Petra Ral, Levi Ackerman

Levi Ackerman: yo

Hange Zoe: sup

Petra Ral: morning! :D

Levi Ackerman: we need to do something fun

Hange Zoe: HEEYY THATS THE SPIRIT im down for anything in fact im free today. btw u never called me back bitch

Levi Ackerman: oh shit sorry i completely forgot

Hange Zoe: watever just make it up to me by being extra cheerful today ha

Levi Ackerman: ugh

Petra Ral: YAAAAY so what should we do??

Levi Ackerman: wait petra, u dont have a date with mr splat?

Petra Ral: well, we were going to hang out for a bit this afternoon, but he’ll understand if i tell him i want a friends day. don’t worry about it, levi! i see him almost every day, so it’s no big deal! :DD

Levi Ackerman: uuuuuuuuuhhhhhhh

Hange Zoe: ya dont sweat the details if ho says its ok then its ok

Petra Ral: WOW, RUDE

Levi Ackerman: ok if ur sure

Petra Ral: i am!! :D so what did u have in mind?

Levi Ackerman: i dunno wats fun

Hange Zoe: lol

Petra Ral: how about we go out somewhere for once? since we always just stay at home on netflix haha

Levi Ackerman: sure

Hange Zoe: sounds like a good change of pace

Petra Ral: hmmmmmmmmm but where to

Hange Zoe: k off the top of my head some fun things to do: indoor rock climbing paintballing karaoke petting zoo

Levi Ackerman: petting zoo wtf

Hange Zoe: yo dont underestimate the funness of petting zoos. i was there for like a whole day once just cuddling the goats

Levi Ackerman: ew goats r gross

Hange Zoe: theyre cute trust me

Petra Ral: HOW ABOUT WE DO ALL OF THOSE? :DDD

Levi Ackerman: r u srs lol

Hange Zoe: hey im down

Petra Ral: YEAHHHH

Levi Ackerman: sounds like an expensive day

Hange Zoe: who cares splurging once in a while is fine. we didnt even go on a grad trip or anything

Petra Ral: hange’s right! we should celebrate a little. after all, u’ve got a steady job and hange’s already confirmed their prof for their masters~

Hange Zoe: right and uve got a nice rich bf

Petra Ral: he’s rich??? really??? y would u think that?? :O

Hange Zoe: ...omfg i am surrounded by idiots

Levi Ackerman: fine. lets do it all. wat time we meeting

Hange Zoe: will u suckers be ready to meet at levis bus stop in an hr

Petra Ral: yes! :)

Levi Ackerman: sure

Hange Zoe: good. autobots roll out

* * *

Petra had very helpfully mapped out the shortest route to take if they wanted to do everything on their list. Hange and Levi followed it without question, determined to go all out.

And they really did get through everything before nightfall.

* * *

“How the hell are you so fast?” Hange screeched from the ground, shielding their eyes to glare up at Levi who was already almost at the top of the climbing wall.

He scoffed and yelled over his shoulder, “Don’t underestimate a kinesiology graduate with a physical education minor, you shitter!” Petra laughed from somewhere below Levi.

“Come on, Hange,” she sang. “You’re going to be left behind!”

“Shut up! This is the hardest difficulty, you know! Look at Levi, he’s practically parallel to the ground and his arms are almost too short to reach the next handhold, what the frick!”

“Shut the fuck up! I can reach just fine!” Levi thrust out his hand, fingertips barely grazing the small protrusion from the wall. He grunted and stretched, gritting his teeth, and caught a hold. “Ha, see, I told you!” He yelled triumphantly.

“Whatever!” Hange shouted. “The only reason I ain’t beating your ass right now is ‘cause my gear malfunctioned and I had to get down to fix it!”

“Yeah, yeah, shitters gonna talk shit!”

Petra laughed so hard Levi was afraid she’d fall.

“Are you making fun of me, ho?! Get down here, you bitch!”

“Ho! Bitch!” A voice yelped.

“What the fuck?” Levi looked down. It was a bright-eyed kid, probably having wandered over from the children’s walls, staring reverently up at Hange.

“Fuck!” the kid shouted.

“Oh my gosh!” Petra cried. “He’s learning bad words from you guys!”

The kid glared and stabbed a finger at her. “Shitter!” Petra gasped.

Hange howled in laughter. “Hey, kid.” They slung an arm around the little boy. “I’ll teach you a thing or two. Come with me.” As they led the child back to where he’d probably come from, Petra huffed.

“My word! The mouth on that boy!”

Levi rolled his eyes and kept climbing.

* * *

“On my signal,” Hange whispered. “You two hide over there. They should be here any second now.” Levi and Petra nodded. They slunk over to their cover.

Hearts pounding, they waited for the slightest squeak of sound. Nothing came. Minutes later, when they still didn’t hear anything, Petra murmured, “Captain? Your orders?”

“Make your choice, Petra,” Levi said under his breath. “I don’t know if standing down is the correct decision, but no one knows what will happen in the future. Only make sure that it’s a choice you won’t regret.”

Petra nodded. “Roger that, Captain.”

They waited.

Suddenly, a shrill whistle pierced through the air. Levi and Petra jumped into action, bursting out from behind the wall. Aim, fire.

The first one went down. Then the second, and third. But there were five more approaching from all sides. Levi and Petra crouched back to back, slowly circling, their weapons at the ready. They could not afford to fall here.

A loud crash distracted their opponents enough that they took down four more in the blink of an eye. The fifth fell from a shot to the back of the neck. Hange landed beside them, breathing hard. “There are two more hiding somewhere,” they muttered. Levi nodded.

“Split up.”

The trio disappeared into the shadows. Levi found the last two hiding behind a corner, and took them down before they could react.

The lights flashed on and deafening music filled the room. Our three heroes shielded their eyes.

“Congratulations to the Survey Corps!” the announcer blared through the speakers. “You’ll be taking home the trophy for Paintball Death Match today!”

“Yes!” Hange pumped their fist. Levi nodded sagely.

“All in a day’s good work!” Petra happily declared, wiping off her sweaty brow.

“What the hell!” Ten twelve-year-olds swarmed around them, stamping their feet and shrieking with their pitchy, unchanged voices, their clothes smeared with paint. “That wasn’t fair!”

“Why do we have to fight against _adults_!”

“Yeah, they’re like twice our height!”

“Well, maybe not these two—”

“You’re right—”

“But it’s still not fair!”

“Shut the fuck up!” Levi barked. They all froze. “You call yourselves soldiers, huh?”

“But we’re not—”

“Silence!” he bellowed. The kids shut up. “Stop all your shitty whining, brats. Is whining going to save your comrades? There were ten of you and three of us. You should be ashamed of yourselves, shitheads."

They looked down in humiliation, kicking their feet. Levi sighed and crossed his arms. "But you're not beyond hope yet. You all need to start from the basics. I will personally train you. Come!”

The kids stared up at him, their eyes glimmering in awe. They scrambled to line up behind Levi, who had begun marching away. Hange and Petra giggled, and brought up the back of the line.

“M-Mister, what’s your name?”

“Call me Captain!”

“Yessir, Captain!”

* * *

“AND IIIIIIIIIIII-EE-IIIIIIIIII WILL ALWAYS LOOOOVE YOUUUU-HOO-HOO AND-IIIIII WILL ALways. LOVE. YooOOUUU!”

Hange’s voice cracked as they hit the last high note. Petra braved on with her naturally higher voice, undaunted. Falsetto was for weaklings. Levi slurped at his bubble tea serenely as chaos erupted around him.

“—YOOUU-HOO-HOO I WILL ALways...loOOoOOoOOoove...you-ooo-ooo...” and Hange drifted off, coughing out the last couple of notes.

Ah, it was over. See? Tranquility radiates from the mind.

“Holy shiiit!” Hange wheezed as they flopped on to their seat. “My throat kinda hurts! I’m getting too old for this.”

“Ha!” Petra cried. “I’m totally fine. One more round! And Levi, c’mon, you totally have to join us. This is so cathartic.”

“Eh...I’ll just wait for my songs.” Levi chewed on his bubbles.

“What did you choose?” Hange skimmed the song list. “Oh my God, you always sing the same stuff!”

“Shut up. You got your jam, I got mine.”

“Oh, guys! Next song is Poker Face!” A trance beat began throbbing through the speakers, and Lady Gaga’s dripping wetsuit flashed on the screen.

“That’s my shit!” Levi shouted, hopping to his feet. Hange and Petra shoved the mics in his face. He took both, and strutted to the front of the room.

“Mum mum mum mah,” the two chanted supportively, bobbing their heads. Petra did the snorkel while Hange hip-thrusted. Levi leered, completely in his element, before he purred the first line of the lyrics he could sing in his sleep: “ _I wanna hold ‘em like they do in Texas, please_.”

* * *

“These goats...are...actually surprisingly cute,” Levi said in wonder. He patted the fuzzy head of one of the babies, which bleated and nuzzled his hand. His heart melted. “Oh my fucking God.”

“Aren’t they! I told you they were adorable,” Hange gloated. They were surrounded by a crowd of goats, all of which were licking them or biting their hair. Animals adored them, for some reason.

“I love this girl so much,” Petra blubbered, her arms wrapped around the neck of a spotted fluffy cow. It didn’t pause in its grass-chewing, utterly blasé. But, like, in a cute way. “She’s so soft, gosh. I want to take her home.”

“No, Petra,” Levi and Hange both said dryly.

“Remember that time you brought home a wild bunny?” Hange reminded her.

Petra gasped. “We do not speak of Mr. Cottontail.”

“It was your fault for not neutering it.” Levi rolled his eyes.

“How was I supposed to know!” Petra cried. "I couldn't even tell if he was a guy or a girl!" She buried her face in the fluffy cow’s neck. Levi cringed. This was supposedly a petting zoo safe even for small children, but animals were animals, and there were probably ticks in that thing.

“You’re gonna catch some weird disease from putting your face so close to a cow,” he commented.

“I don’t care! Buttermilk’s too cute to be carrying gross bugs.”

“Who the fuck is Buttermilk.”

“The cow, Levi. The cow.”

“What the fuck.”

“Stop cussing in front of Buttermilk!” Petra wailed.

Hange shot Levi The Look. “Do you think she’s on her period?” they whispered.

“I heard that!” Petra screeched.

* * *

By the end of the day, Petra and Hange looked ready to pass out, their eyelids fluttering as they slumped in their seats.

“Okay, I’m gonna ditch now. Gotta go home and clean my fucking disgusting room.” Levi stood, putting money on the table for his portion of the food.

“You still have energy to clean after today?” Hange said incredulously.

“It’s only my room. I haven’t cleaned it for a couple weeks, so it’s filthy.”

“Uh huh, very filthy,” Petra joked, tiredly curling her fingers in quotation marks.

“I'm just cleaner than you dirty pigs. Anyway, peace.”

“Bye.”

“See you soon!”

Since the restaurant was only a ten minute walk away from his house, Levi went home by foot. He kind of wished he hadn't, because with it being light out, he could see every detail in his surroundings.

He tried. He really tried, but despite his valiant efforts, he still saw Erwin everywhere. Maybe it would take a long time to mend this broken heart, after all.

He sighed, slowly climbing the steps to his house and walking in. He dropped the leftovers on the dining table. “Kenny, I brought you dinner. Tacos.”

“Oh, thanks, kiddo.”

He slunk up to his room, rolling up his sleeves. Flinging open his window, he took a deep breath of fresh air, and got to work.

Halfway through vacuuming the carpeted floor, something sticking out from the bottom of his bed caught his eye. Frowning, he turned off the vacuum cleaner and bent to pull it out. He inhaled sharply.

Erwin’s shirt. The white, long-sleeved one Levi had worn home after that night at Erwin’s, and the one he’d tried to masturbate to before he’d caved and called the blond. He rubbed it between his fingers. It was thin, and very soft. Kind of worn out. A short row of buttons opened from the collar, and thin, barely-visible gray stripes lined the front in diagonals. Levi hesitated before he slowly brought the collar up to his nose. He closed his eyes and breathed in.

His nose immediately began stinging. He laughed, even as his eyes watered. Who knew he could be such a crybaby?

He sat there on the floor and hugged the shirt, cradling it to his chest. When his eyes dried out, he sighed, pulled it away, and folded it. He’d return it to Erwin tomorrow. And that would be the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading <3 sorry bout the million page breaks ._.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all are awesome. please enjoy :)

The shirt sat on the corner of his desk for a week before Levi finally stopped procrastinating and washed it. He’d told himself to return it the next day, but then he'd gotten caught up in other things, like...like cleaning the house. And Facebook, and stuff. But he was going to do it now. Today was the day.

Levi slipped the newly washed shirt into the plastic bag that had come with his green tea. He thought about giving back all the other things Erwin had gotten for him as well, but that seemed like an excessively bitter thing to do. Tea was still tea, after all.

He sighed and dragged himself downstairs. “I’m going to Erwin’s for a bit.”

“’Kay,” Kenny said, not bothering to look up from his toast and newspaper.

Although it shamed him to admit, Levi took the longest route to Erwin’s. That was a pro of going places on foot; you could take as many detours as you wanted. He didn’t want to see Erwin. The hurt remained, only slightly dulled after a week. But he didn’t want to keep the shirt either, because he already knew that he wouldn’t be able to throw it away. And then there was the part of him that mourned how everything would really be over after he returned the shirt, which he ignored.

Despite his efforts, he found himself at Erwin’s doorstep within the hour. They lived too close to each other. He swallowed and braced himself, pulling on his best deadpan expression. 

He knocked on the door, three sharp raps. There was always the doorbell, but it was early in the morning, so he didn’t want to wake Mike or anything.

A deafening crash from inside made Levi jump. He heard someone mutter “ouch”, before a weird clicking sound along with slaps of bare feet against wooden floors approached the door. “One moment please,” a voice Levi had trouble recognizing croaked, and then there was fumbling at the lock.

The door swung inwards, and Levi’s mouth fell open.

“Er...win?”

The man before him had Erwin’s height and Erwin’s blond hair, but otherwise, he looked like a different person. His right arm and leg were wrapped up in bulky casts. There was a bandage covering his right cheek all the way down to his jaw, and one of his eyes was nearly swollen shut. Cuts and bruises were littered all over his skin, and the purple bags under his eyes gave him a corpse-like air. He looked like he hadn’t shaved or washed his hair in days, and his beard was damp, for some reason. Even his baby blues looked dull until they saw Levi and widened in shock.

“...Levi?”

“What...what the fuck happened to you?” Levi spluttered. “You look like shit.”

“Ah.” Erwin seemed to realize only then how much of a mess he was, and he shifted self-consciously, the crutch under his left armpit squeaking. He looked away from Levi’s face. “It’s nothing. Just a minor car accident. I’ll be fully recovered in a month or two.”

“Oh,” Levi said dumbly. “You still look like shit, though.”

Erwin’s lips twitched. He looked ten years closer to the grave. “Why are you here, Levi?”

“Uh. Right. Um.” Levi shook himself and thrust out the bag. “I came to return your shirt. I washed it.” Erwin stared at it blankly, then at Levi, and then back at the bag. Any life he’d regained upon seeing Levi melted off his face, and Levi, oddly, thought that maybe he’d broken something in Erwin.

“I see,” the blond said evenly. “Thank you. You didn’t have to.”

“Well, shirts cost money,” Levi muttered. “Take it.”

“Uh, do you mind putting it on the floor for me? I can’t really—” Erwin gestured vaguely with the fingers of his left hand, his thumb hooked around the crutch handle.

“Right,” Levi said. He bent down and placed the bag inside.

“Thanks,” Erwin murmured. 

They stood in awkward silence, Levi staring at the cast on Erwin’s leg, and Erwin not saying anything.

“I—” They said at the same time. Levi motioned for him to go ahead.

Erwin opened his mouth, then closed it. Softly, he asked, “I suppose this is goodbye then?”

Levi stared at him. Then he glared down at his shoes and nodded.

“All right.” Erwin mirrored his nod. “Well, for what it’s worth, I’m—”

"What the fuck?" Levi suddenly blurted. A motion out of the corner of his eye had caught his attention: something had dropped to the floor, right in front of his shoe. He glanced up and saw that a splotch of redness had collected in Erwin’s short beard and was slowly trickling down, dripping on the doorsill. Erwin hadn’t seemed to notice and was frowning at Levi in confusion. “Uh, you’re bleeding,” the dark-haired man said, pointing at his chin. Erwin’s eyebrows shot up and he followed Levi’s gaze to the floor.

“Oh, shoot. I was trying to shave with my left hand but I cut myself. I didn’t know it was deep enough to bleed.”

Levi scowled and folded his arms across his chest. “You should go clean that up. Why don’t you get Mike or someone to help you shave?”

“Mike’s been gone this last week,” Erwin said tiredly. “He went back to his parents’ to introduce Nana.”

Levi’s jaw clenched. “And when’s he coming back?”

Erwin sighed. “I don’t know. Not for at least another week or so.”

Levi paused. “And what about Marie?” he managed. 

Erwin stared at him like he’d grown two heads. “What about her?”

"Never mind,” Levi muttered.

They sank into another awkward silence. Erwin was about to say something again when Levi made up his mind and looked Erwin straight in the eye, jutting his chin out. “I’ll clean you up.”

Erwin blinked. “What?” The blood hadn’t stopped dripping from his chin, and Levi was starting to get impatient.

“When was the last time you changed that bandage on your face?” he demanded, tapping his foot.

Erwin had the sense to look guilty. “When they put it on a week ago.”

“A week?” Levi seethed. “You know those things can get infected really easily, right? And then you’ll have to chop off half of your fucking face!”

Erwin frowned. “Sorry, it wasn’t...I was thinking about other things.”

“Why the fuck are you apologizing to me,” Levi ground out. “It’s your face. Whatever, get out of my way.” He squeezed his way into the apartment, ignoring Erwin’s stunned expression, and slammed the door. “Where’s your first aid kit?”

“In the bathroom, top shelf...”

Levi flung his shoes off and stormed to the bathroom. He found a glass bottle containing what looked like conditioner shattered on the floor, which must have been the crash he'd heard earlier. But it didn't look like there had been much left, as there was only a small puddle. He'd get to it later. He stepped over the mess and lowered the toilet lid, hopping up on it so he could reach the top cabinet, which he rummaged around in before triumphantly pulling out a white case. Erwin had hobbled his way to the bathroom entrance by then, still looking utterly lost.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Levi snapped. “Go sit your ass down on the couch.”

“Levi—”

“I think you owe me enough to shut up and do what I tell you. I don’t wanna spend hours wiping your blood off the floor later.” Erwin’s face fell. He shuffled away. Levi sighed and went back to gathering his supplies.

When he made his way into the living room, precariously balancing a bowl of water, the first-aid kit, a razor, a can of shaving cream, and a bottle of rubbing alcohol in his arms, he was satisfied to see that Erwin was sitting on the couch like he’d been told. The blond made to stand when he saw Levi. “Do you need help—”

“No,” Levi glowered, and the blond retracted his left arm. “Sit.” He obeyed. Levi gingerly settled beside him, putting all the stuff on the table. Then he grabbed Erwin's face in his hands, turning his head this way and that to survey the damage. The cut had thankfully stopped bleeding.

Levi picked up the shaving cream and smeared it all over the blond's face, careful to avoid the area with blood. Then he took the razor in one hand, cupped Erwin’s chin in the other, and began scraping at the week-old beard.

He could feel Erwin watching him. That single blue eye was burning a hole into his face.

“Stop staring,” he said.

“Sorry,” Erwin mumbled, and closed his eyes.

Levi delicately pulled the razor down, going slow since he wasn’t sure if there were any other hidden cuts or bruises. The sound of the blade cleaving through straggly hair was comforting, filling the silence, until Erwin said faintly, “Why are you doing this?” His eyes were open again.

“Because you don’t have any fucking friends,” Levi replied dryly. “It’ll weigh on my conscience if you rot in here all alone. I can see the headlines already. ‘Future lawyer dies from not showering for months’.”

Erwin’s lips quirked up.

“Don’t move, idiot.”

“Sorry.”

Levi shifted, now moving towards the line of Erwin’s jaw. He quickly rinsed the razor in the bowl of water before continuing.

The entire left side of Erwin’s face was soon clear of stubble, save for the strip above his cut. Since Levi had to press down pretty hard with the razor to get all the hair, he decided to use scissors instead for that patch. He swabbed the scissors with alcohol, and began daintily cutting away the hair, catching it with his water bowl. Then he patted a clean cloth he’d wet with warm water over Erwin’s naked face, and nodded at his work. Done with that, he set about arranging the supplies he needed to disinfect the cut.

“Levi.”

“What,” he said, distracted.

“I’m sorry.”

Levi didn’t reply, ripping open the packaging for a sterile cotton ball.

“I’m really sorry.” This time, something in Erwin’s tone made Levi look at him. The blond’s nose was red, as were the rims of his eyes. Levi wondered in horror if Erwin was going to cry.

“Whatever,” he said quickly, returning his attention to the kit. “I told you I got over it already.”

There was another silence, one that made the hairs on the back of his neck prickle.

A moment later, Erwin said, so softly that Levi almost didn’t hear: “Was I so easy to get over?”

Levi froze. He dropped everything, hands clenching into fists.

“What?” he said, deathly quiet. Erwin seemed to sense something, because his head shot up. “Easy to get over?” Levi spat. He glared down at the bowl of water that had bubbles and little blond hairs floating in it, not wanting to look at Erwin, not wanting him to see his vulnerability. “You don’t know anything. I cried for you like a fucking baby, you asshole.”

“Sor—”

“No, shut the fuck up!” Levi surged to his feet as rage won the battle over grief. “Do you know when I cried, huh?! I didn’t even cry when I broke my fucking leg in middle school, you shithead! I’m not talking a few pretty tears, here. I’m talking you’re on the fucking ground and you can’t get the fuck up because you’re shaking so hard and y-you can’t even fucking _breathe_ because the best thing in your life turned out to be a huge fucking _lie!_ ” he shouted, panting. “You’re such a fucking asshole, I can’t believe this.”

Erwin stared at him wide-eyed, speechless. His nose was getting redder. “You’re right,” he whispered, boring into Levi’s wet eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Fuck!” Levi kicked the couch. He huffed, panting through clenched teeth, and ran his hands through his hair. He tilted his face up to the ceiling, taking deep breaths. When his respiration and heart rate were back to normal, he heaved a final mighty sigh and marched for the bathroom, ignoring Erwin’s gaze on his back.

He avoided looking into the mirror as he washed his hands. He didn’t want to know how fucked over he looked right now.

Erwin was sitting exactly where he’d left him when he stalked back to the living room. Levi sat down beside him and picked up the cotton swab again. He dabbed at the cut, but frowned when he noticed Erwin’s unswollen eye locked on his face again.

“What,” he bit out. “I told you to stop staring.”

“It’s just...I thought you’d leave,” Erwin confessed.

Levi snorted. “I will after this.” Erwin nodded.

He finished patching up the cut and moved on to the week-old bandage on Erwin’s other cheek. Wrinkling his nose, he plucked at the tape, then slowly peeled off the gauze, chest tightening every time Erwin winced. He gasped when the whole thing was off.

His entire right cheek looked like it had been scraped raw by concrete, the flesh red and tender. The edges of the wound were yellowing. Erwin cringed.

“That bad?”

Levi scowled. “What the fuck happened?”

Erwin exhaled. “I was walking home, after—well, I was walking home. I wasn’t paying attention to the lights, so I crossed the street when I shouldn’t have. I was lucky. The car didn’t hit me very hard, but I think I skidded a bit.”

“What’s with the casts?”

“Fractures.”

A shiver went down Levi’s spine. “...You said this was a week ago?”

Erwin averted his gaze, confirming Levi’s fears. “Yeah.”

He grit his teeth. He held in the apology that tried to burst out of his throat, and said instead, “This is gonna hurt like a bitch, but bear with it.” Erwin inclined his head. Levi smeared a fresh bandage with Polysporin, spreading the ointment into a thin layer with a cotton swab, and then he pinched the corners of the piece of gauze between his fingertips and brought it up to Erwin, who tilted his face to give Levi easier access. “Okay. On the count of zero. Three...two...” He swiftly applied the bandage to the wound, securing it with medical tape, and Erwin hissed.

“I thought you said zero.”

“It hurts less if you don’t expect it,” Levi said matter-of-factly. “All right, anywhere else?” Erwin had to think about it, which made Levi kind of mad.

“Oh, my back.”

“Turn around, then.” Erwin used his good leg and arm to slowly swivel around.

Levi lifted the sweatshirt out of the way and tutted when he saw the even larger bandage spanning Erwin’s mid-back. “You couldn’t have changed this with only one hand.”

“I didn’t,” Erwin admitted.

“Fuck, you really would have rotted without me."

Erwin chuckled sadly. “Probably.”

Levi worked silently, keeping his full attention on the wound. From what he could tell so far, the condition of this one was similar to the one on the blond’s cheek, if not deeper.

He was halfway through pulling the old bandage off when Erwin’s body gave a small twitch. “What, does it hurt?” he asked. Erwin shook his head. Levi went back to carefully peeling away the gauze, but Erwin jerked again. Levi frowned and stopped. “Look, if it hurts, you need to tell me so that I can figure out another way to do this.”

“It’s nothing,” Erwin mumbled weakly, but Levi heard what he was trying to hide.

His jaw fell open. “Are you crying?” Erwin shook his head, but his sniffles were too obvious. “Does it hurt so much that you’d cry?” For the third time, Erwin shook his head. He covered his face with his left hand.

“I—I was just—” he stammered, his nose already sounding clogged.

“What?” Levi said, leaning closer to his back. “I can’t hear you like that.”

Erwin pressed his fist to his lips. “I was ju-just thinking that—” He stopped.

Levi bit his lip. “Yeah?” 

“Maybe if I hadn’t m-met Marie, you would still be with me now,” Erwin whispered.

Levi’s stomach dropped. He sat back on his heels, his nose burning.

“But it was my fault. I sh-shouldn’t have let her kiss me,” Erwin choked out, and then he was really crying, the kind that Levi had done while curled on his bedroom floor, shudders and gasps and coughs making it hard to breathe.

Levi’s lips pressed into a line, the tears in his own eyes overflowing on to his cheeks. He sniffed, wiping his face.

But then Erwin’s words registered.

“Wait,” he said under his breath. Erwin didn’t appear to hear him, his tears beginning to drip on the carpet now. “Wait, Erwin. Stop.” Levi scrambled off the couch, circling around and kneeling on the floor to look up at the blond’s face. Erwin lifted his head, his whole face wet, shivering uncontrollably.

“L-Levi, are you cry—”

“No, shut up, forget that.” Levi whipped away the wetness at his eyes. “Did you just say that you shouldn’t have let her kiss you?” he demanded, clamping Erwin’s good knee in an iron grip.

Erwin nodded, puzzled.

“What do you mean by that?” Levi pressed. “What do you mean ‘shouldn’t have let her’?”

“Y-You saw it,” Erwin hiccupped, his brow knitting together. “Before my trial.”

“So did you...did you push her away?” Levi asked, one touch away from outright pleading. “When she kissed you?”

Erwin’s frown deepened. “Yes. I thought you saw.”

Levi could feel his heart in his throat. “Why?” he breathed. “Why’d you push her away?”

“I don’t understand,” Erwin said, his bottom lip wobbling. “Why wouldn’t I push her away? I didn’t want that kiss.”

Levi fell back, stunned. Erwin reached out as if to catch him.

“Levi? Are you all right?”

“No, I’m fucking confused,” Levi snapped. He glared at Erwin. “Okay, I’m gonna ask you a few questions.” Erwin nodded, still quivering in residual shivers, but his eyes were dry now. “When I told you that I saw you kissing Marie, you didn’t explain anything. Why?”

Silence.

“Why, Erwin?” Levi raised his voice.

“Because anything I said would have sounded like an excuse,” Erwin bit out. “I was...scared.”

“Of what?”

“What if I explained everything and you didn’t forgive me?” Erwin faltered. “What if you thought I was making up all these excuses?” Levi gaped at him.

“So it was somehow better to not say anything?” he growled, grabbing Erwin’s knee again, nails inadvertently digging in, but the blond didn’t even flinch.

“I-I was shocked,” Erwin protested. “I didn’t know what to say. I was going to tell you that the kiss happened, but you’d already seen, so I didn’t know what else to tell you.”

Erwin’s words echoed in Levi’s mind. _I will not make any excuses. That is the reality of the situation._

“Fine,” Levi ground out. “Whatever, forget that first time. What about when you went to my house? I asked you if you wanted me to just accept that you kiss other people while we go out, and you implied yes.”

“Well, if you’re really so upset that I kissed someone else, even if I didn’t mean to, then I can’t force you to stay in this relationship.”

Levi closed his eyes. He scrubbed his face with his hands, and then screamed into them with his lips sealed closed.

“L-Levi?”

“Oh my fucking GOD!” Levi exploded. “ERWIN SMITH YOU ARE SUCH A FUCKING STUPID NO-BRAIN IDIOT WHAT THE FUCK YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE SMART BUT FUCK IT ALL YOU’RE JUST A FUCKING MORON!” Erwin flinched.

“Wh-What?”

Levi grabbed him by the shoulders and shook, gently because the moron was hurt, but he imagined that it was violent, the kind that snapped Erwin’s head back and forth. “Do you fucking understand why I was so mad?”

Erwin blinked at him several times in rapid succession. “Because I kissed Marie?”

“No!” Levi yelled. “I mean—yes, technically! I was mad because I thought you _wanted_ to kiss her, you fucking shithead!”

“ _What?_ ” Erwin cried. One blue eye was wide, the other one open as far as it would go. “Why would you think that? What—Levi, how could you even think that?”

“I DIDN’T!” Levi hollered. He was on the verge of pulling his hair out. “I didn’t until you started spouting all that bullshit! I didn’t stay long enough to see you push her away, okay? I went to ask why you were kissing her and all you said was that you didn’t fucking have anything to say! Then you went to my place and when I asked if you were cheating on me with her the whole time, you didn’t exactly fucking deny it!”

“What?! When did you ask me that?!” Erwin shouted, finally losing control of his own volume.

“WHEN I ASKED IF YOU WANTED TO DO NASTY SHIT WITH ME WHILE KISSING OTHER PPL TOO!”

Erwin stiffened. Levi watched the realization dawn on his face. “That’s what you meant?” Erwin whispered. “I-I thought you were asking if I was hoping to do nasty stuff with you even after I accidentally let someone else kiss me. When I said that I was hoping you’d be ‘okay with it’, I meant that I was hoping you would forgive an accidental kiss.”

Levi slapped his forehead and sighed so hard it came out more like a groan. “Okay. So just to clarify. There was nothing going on between you and anyone else while we were dating.”

“No!” Erwin exclaimed. “I can’t believe—I can’t believe you thought that. The law faculty’s quite large, and we had different schedules, so that time you were with me was the first time I’d even seen her in years.”

"I'm just...reeling over how badly you misunderstood my questions," Levi muttered. "I thought I made myself clear."

"Levi, you never outright asked me if I was cheating on you. It didn't even occur to me you would think that because I thought you saw me push her away, and I also...I mean, don't I make it clear through my actions that you're the only one I want?" Erwin's defeated expression made guilt sit heavily in Levi's stomach. 

“Wait.” Levi straightened. “Where’s your wallet?”

“What? My wallet? It’s by my bed.” He jumped to his feet, sprinting for Erwin’s room, and snatched the wallet from the table. He searched every compartment, but the photo wasn’t there anymore.

“Levi?” Erwin called from the living room. The dark-haired man paced back to him, wallet in hand.

“Where’s the picture?”

“What picture?” Erwin asked, nose scrunched up.

“The one with Marie,” Levi said exasperatedly.

“What?” He looked so confused Levi was beginning to wonder if he’d dreamt up the photo.

“The fucking photo. You and her. In front of the law building.”

Erwin thought for a moment. “Oh. That. How did you know about that? It was something she dropped and I picked it up for her. Wait a minute.” Erwin gaped. “Don’t tell me you saw that and thought...”

Levi glared. “I did at first, but I trusted you, so it became a non-issue.”

Erwin pursed his lips. “Do you remember that time when you came over, and I was late so you let yourself in? And you said I was in a funk?”

“Yeah.”

“I was in a bad mood because she wouldn’t leave me alone. She saw me while I was speaking with my professor and said we had to talk. Long story short, she tried to convince me to take her back, and the photo was something she dropped before she ran away crying. I kept it in my wallet to give back to her, because throwing it away seemed disrespectful.”

Levi’s shoulders fell. “Oh.”

Erwin watched him. “You didn’t trust me?” he said softly.

“Don’t you dare,” Levi hissed. He sat back down and grabbed Erwin’s chin, forcing him to look into Levi’s eyes. “I saw that photo and didn’t bring it up because I knew it was nothing to worry about. I admit that I was anxious at first, but I dismissed those feelings. And then when I saw you fucking kissing someone else, I didn’t so much as let myself get angry before I asked you for the truth, because I didn’t think it was fair to condemn you when you haven’t given me any reason to do so. So don’t you dare ask if I trust you or not, because I trusted you far more than even fucking Hange thought I should, and it was only a stupid misunderstanding that set us on the wrong path. Got it?”

Erwin stared at him in awe before his eyes began to water again, and Levi scowled. “What now? Are you gonna fucking cry again?”

Erwin sniffed once, and then his breath was hitching in sobs, a waterfall of tears sliding down his face. Levi gazed at him, his streaky cheeks, blotchy skin, runny nose, that one bruised eye that couldn’t even open properly, the other blue one rapidly swelling to match. This was the most unattractive Levi had ever seen him, and it made his heart ache to see Erwin cry. But the selfish and petty part of him loved this face too, because Erwin must really like him if he was losing control to this extent.

“Oh, stop crying, you big baby,” Levi mumbled, carefully wrapping his arms around Erwin’s neck. Erwin’s good arm hugged him close, so tightly that Levi worried. “I’m gonna have to change your bandages again.”

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Erwin mumbled into Levi’s neck, making it wet with tears and probably snot.

Levi sighed, patting him. "I'm sorry, too. I should've made myself more clear, but honestly, I was fucking terrified of your answer." 

"Do you forgive me then?"

“What kinda question is that?” Levi snorted. “I ain’t gonna let my big fuck rot away on his own because of something some bitch forced on him. And just for the record, you’re one of, like, four people in this world I’d allow to get their snot on me.”

The bawling came harder at that. “I-I never threw away your toothbrush,” Erwin cried. Levi laughed loudly.

“God, you’re such a fucking moron.”

* * *

Levi took the following two weeks off work. He felt like shit about it, but Dr. Jaeger was extremely understanding when he’d told him about his injured, helpless friend. Levi was determined to think of some way to pay back the good doctor.

In the meantime, he pretty much lived at Erwin’s place. Kenny had been shockingly understanding as well. Levi was beginning to suspect that his shrewd uncle knew more than he was letting on, but he didn’t care anymore. Kenny didn’t seem to mind, anyway, as long as Levi prepared enough food whenever he went back so that Kenny didn’t have to fend for himself.

With Levi there, Erwin’s bandages were kept fresh, as were his face and the rest of his body. They’d figured out, after many tries, that the best way to wash Erwin’s hair was to sit him on a stool and lean his head over the bathtub so that Levi could scrub him clean. And since Erwin wasn’t supposed to get his casts wet, he couldn’t take showers, so Levi had taken to wiping him down with a damp cloth every evening. At first, the blond had protested, wiggling away from Levi as he blushed, but knowing it was a lost cause, he eventually gave in. Levi loved doing it. Pampering Erwin was fun, and it was a good excuse to ogle his boyfriend’s body. After Erwin got over the initial awkwardness, they started getting carried away during their little wipe-down sessions, which just made them double the fun. The first time after they fooled around, Levi felt bad for preying on an injured person, but judging by how Erwin was practically pawing at him the next time, he shouldn't have worried.

Erwin tried to study as much as he could, but he rarely made it past a couple hours before his head started hurting, or before he fell asleep from the pain medication. As a result, they ended up spending most of their time just chatting, or watching TV, or scouring the Internet for something fun to do.

When Levi told his friends what happened, they were ecstatic. Hange, however, also felt horrible; they thought it was at least partly their fault that Levi had begun suspecting Erwin. In return, they came by with Petra often, showering Erwin with free food and board games and affectionate rowdiness. Erwin later told Levi that Hange had apologized to him in person, which they’d done to Levi as well, but both knew that there was nothing to forgive. Hange was only looking out for their friend, after all. It had made Levi want to glomp Hange when after apologizing, they stared at the floor and mumbled, “Maybe I was projecting my own trust issues on to you two.” He vowed to himself that he would be there for them until the day he died.

Although all was well with the misunderstanding cleared, Levi still found himself thinking about those couple of weeks from time to time. He could tell that Erwin did too. He saw it in the way his blue eyes shadowed sometimes, or how the blond would occasionally wake up in a panic, frantically searching for Levi. The words that Levi had said in his moment of anger probably still lingered in Erwin somewhere.

That’s why Levi was more than happy to agree when one day, Erwin proposed that they come up with a set of what they termed The Fighting Rules. Because they’d never fought over an actual disagreement before, it was hard to think of rules, but there were a few general ones that both agreed upon:

1\. Fights are to be resolved within the day, and not taken to the bed.

2\. No hiding things from each other, especially insecurities regarding their relationship.

3\. No violence.

4\. No running off before a proper discussion has taken place.

5\. This point on is blank space to be saved for potential future Fighting Rules.

Bonus: Remember that the other person still adores you, even if they might be mad at something you did.

Obviously, that last one had been Erwin’s idea. Levi had rolled his eyes but written it down anyway because he respected Erwin’s opinion. Not because he particularly liked that point or anything.

They stuck their list of rules on the fridge. It became added teasing material for Hange, but everyone knew that Levi and Erwin would adhere religiously to those rules. For the sake of their relationship.

* * *

“Erwin, I’m going to the grocery store!” Levi called from the front door.

“What?” Erwin limped out of his room. “I thought you were going later. Can I come with?”

“No, you idiot. You need to rest and get better. I’m going back to work in a few days and then you’ll have to fend for yourself.”

“But my leg isn’t even that bad off. I can almost walk normally now," Erwin insisted. Levi turned away and began tying his shoes because he could sense that Erwin was about to use his patented pretty-pretty-please Levi eyes.

“No. I’ll be back soon. Just stay put.”

Erwin sighed. “Fine.” Levi glanced at him. He was in sad puppy mode. Holy shit, this was totally emotional manipulation. The dark-haired man hesitated before he took off his shoes and stepped on to the landing, holding his arms out. Erwin perked up and shuffled into him, leaning down to nuzzle Levi’s head. Levi stood on his tip-toes and kissed Erwin on the mouth, combing his fingers through messy blond hair. “Mm—” Erwin complained when Levi pulled away, following his mouth. Levi tried to frown.

“Stop it.”

“Come on, one more,” Erwin said against his lips, smiling.

“No, I gotta go.”

“Leviiii.”

“Ugh. You’re so needy,” he murmured, and obliged.

* * *

Levi checked his watch as he leisurely strolled down the sidewalk, grocery bags in hand. He’d finished quite a bit earlier than expected. Erwin would be happy. And Levi had bought a lot of the blond’s favourite foods, knowing he’d feel down since they wouldn’t get to meet for the next little while. The huge, juicy Japanese peaches Erwin loved had conveniently been on sale. Levi grinned to himself, swinging his arms, and turned the corner on to Erwin’s street, humming.

He stopped in his tracks.

A person Levi would’ve been happy never seeing again was sitting on the sidewalk in front of Erwin's dorm. She hopped to her feet when she saw him, brushing off her skirt, and waved. He approached her with caution.

“What do you want?” he said shortly. She was unfazed by his attitude

“I came to see you,” she said, soft but firm. “I figured we’d eventually meet if I hung around Erwin’s dorm for long enough.”

His eyes narrowed. “And why the fuck would you want to see me?”

She gave him a tight smile. “I heard from Mike about you and Erwin. I was wondering if you’d be willing to get a cup of coffee with me.”

Levi snorted. “No thanks. Not interested. See ya.” He pivoted around her, but she grabbed his wrist.

“Please.” He stared into her woeful green eyes. “It won’t take long. I promise.” Something about her expression made Levi’s stomach twist in empathy.

“Fine. Ten minutes.”

* * *

They decided on an empty cafe near the dorms, where the atmosphere was light and soothing. Levi chose the seat right by the open door after another quick glance at his watch.

“Can you make this fast? I have to cook lunch.”

Marie nodded. “I don’t plan on taking much of your time. But order something? It’s my treat.” He was about to say no, but she cut in with, “We have to buy something if we want to sit here, anyway.”

Logical. Just like Erwin. Levi sighed. “Iced lemon green tea.” She got up to order at the counter and was back a minute later, placing the drink in front of him. She cradled her own latte in her hands, blowing on it before sipping. Levi tipped his cup back, the sweet liquid cooling him as it washed down his throat. He watched her over the top of his cup.

“So,” he deadpanned. “Is this gonna be a sob fest? A screaming match? Or maybe a catfight?”

Marie set down her cup, looking at him calmly. “No. I came to apologize.”

Levi’s eyebrows shot up. They were almost at his hairline, he was so surprised. “What?”

She smiled, bitter. “Honestly, I don’t care for you. I don’t know you, so that might not be fair, but that’s how it is. I’m only apologizing because I know my actions hurt Erwin. It was wrong of me to put my hands on a taken man, but I can’t say that I regret what I did, other than the fact that I indirectly hurt his feelings.”

“Okay,” Levi said slowly. “And you’re expecting me to accept your apology?”

She blinked. “Not particularly. It doesn’t matter to me what you think. I’m doing this for my self-satisfaction, and also to let Erwin know that I won’t be bothering him anymore. He wouldn’t see me, so you were the next best option.”

“...Right.” He shouldn’t have been surprised that she wasn’t the meek little thing he might have assumed from her appearance, given what she’d done to Erwin, but the contrast was startling after all.

She sipped on her latte again, licking the milk bubbles off of her top lip. “You know, I really loved him,” she said. It sounded like she was trying to pull off nonchalance, but she wasn’t fooling anyone.

Levi eyed her. “Did you, now?”

“I did.” She played with the sleeve of the cup, rotating it. “He was...amazing. Calm, composed, never raised his voice, never lost his temper with me. His smiles were beautiful, and he was always sincere, something I wasn’t used to, having grown up in my kind of environment. I thought he gave me all of him, but I only realized he’d held back when I met him again later. I should’ve known, really. We were together for years, but I’d never seen him cry, or laugh until he cried." She giggled. "And his appearance was always so perfectly neat."

Levi didn’t say anything.

“I went to his place the other day, you know,” she said, gazing out the window. “He was a wreck. I was shocked. But what surprised me most was how angry he got at me. I waited for him to slam the door in my face, but I think he was too tired to even do that.” She faced Levi, studying him. “You guys broke up for a bit, didn’t you?”

Levi neglected to reply, but she must’ve seen something on his face, because she kept talking. “You know that pain you went through? The emptiness when he’s not by your side?” She leaned closer, her green eyes scorching like fire. “I’ve been feeling that for the past four years.”

Levi’s stomach turned.

She sat back and crossed her arms. “It got better, obviously, so I thought I’d gotten over him. Then I saw him smiling and laughing with you, and something inside me snapped. Dropping that photo, hoping it would make him feel even a little nostalgic. Hugging him. Kissing him. And yet he didn’t give a flying fuck." She exhaled. "I did stupid things, but you can’t really blame me, can you?”

Levi swallowed, because she was right. He didn’t blame her. “It’s in the past now.”

Her lips parted, like she was surprised he’d said that, and then her face softened in a smile. “Yes,” she agreed. The upward arc of her lips looked less forced this time. “It was my closure, I suppose. I’m finally moving on."

"That's good," Levi said.

She nodded. "There’s this guy, see. He’s been pining after me for years.”

Levi cocked an eyebrow. “I’m sure you’re quite popular.”

“Oh, I am.” She smirked. “Not Erwin Smith’s kinda girl, but I’m limited edition, you know?”

Levi looked down at his cup, and then back at her. “He did love you.”

Marie beamed, and it was sunny and glimmering, a copy of the grin from that photo. “I know.” She stood and slung her bag over her shoulder. “Well, you weren’t a total pain to talk to. I’m glad that’s over.”

“That’s my line,” Levi said dryly.

She laughed. “Goodbye, Levi. Make Erwin happy, ‘kay?”

And then she turned and left, leaving a sour taste on Levi’s tongue. But his shoulders were lighter than they’d felt in a long time.

* * *

“Levi!” Erwin exclaimed, wobbling over from the couch as Levi latched the door behind him. “You’re pretty late. I was just about to text you.”

“I had a run-in with Marie,” he said wryly. Erwin’s eyes widened, his jaw clenching.

“What did she want?” he asked in a low voice.

Levi shrugged. “Just to apologize and say that she’s moving on.” Erwin gawked.

“What? Really?”

“Yeah. It was a civil talk.” Levi held up his iced tea. “And she bought me this, too. Want some?”

“Uh, no, I’m fine,” Erwin said. He looked so confused it was kind of funny. “I guess...that’s good then?”

“Yup,” Levi chirped. “So I’m gonna cook lunch and then we can watch a movie, okay?”

Erwin brightened. “Can we watch The Terminator?”

Levi smirked and pecked him on the chin. “Yeah, let’s watch The Terminator.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for all them cliffhangers, my lovely readers <3 i promise there won't be any more CUZ THERES ONLY 1 CHAPTER LEFT AFTER THIS D:


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI I'M SORRY THIS IS SO INCREDIBLY LATE AHHHH I'M USUALLY VERY PUNCTUAL!!! worry not, for the cliche drama is over! (i just wanted to write sad levi i'm sorry)
> 
> please enjoy :D

It had been three weeks since Levi had last seen Erwin. He was swamped with work on weekdays, and on weekends, either he was busy meeting with the instructor for his massage therapy course, or Erwin’s schedule was packed with appointments with his professors. They called each other every day and texted whenever the urge came up, but it wasn’t the same. Levi had started going through withdrawal symptoms after the first week.

“It’s okay,” Erwin was cooing into the phone. “We’ll get to see each other tomorrow. Just a few more hours.”

“Why the hell are you comforting me when you’re always the one being clingy and shit,” Levi grumbled.

“Because I’m capable of showing my clinginess, Levi. You’re a tsundere, so I worry for you sometimes,” Erwin replied, completely serious.

“Excuse me?” Levi screeched. “I am not a fucking tsundere!”

“That’s the signature tsundere line, you know,” Erwin said smugly.

Levi seethed. Shit, was he actually a tsundere? “Shut the fuck up. You just prepare yourself. I’m gonna fucking ravage the shit out of you tomorrow. Your dick’s gonna be raw by the time I’m done.” He expected to get a stutter or maybe another sarcastic comment, but Erwin went quiet. “...Erwin?”

The blond let out a jittery sigh. “Actually, there’s something I need to confess.”

“What?” Levi sat up on his bed. “What is it?”

“I...I...”

“Spit it out,” Levi snapped.

“I—I’ve gotten fat!” Erwin cried.

Levi stared at his sheets unseeingly. “What. What do you mean?”

“Well, I just recently got my casts off, right? So I took off all my clothes and stood in front of the mirror to see if everything was back to normal. And I realized that I’ve gotten fat.” He sounded so genuinely distressed that Levi couldn’t even make fun of him.

“Erwin, you’ve just been couch-ridden for the past, like, two months. It’s only natural that you would gain a little chub.”

“But you like Captain America so much...” Erwin muttered.

“Holy fucking shit, you idiot. I’m not gonna dump you just ‘cause you don’t have Cap’s amazing bod anymore, okay? Just don’t let yourself get obese ‘cause then you’ll get all sorts of diseases and die early.” Levi chewed on his lip worriedly. “You haven’t gotten obese in the last few weeks, have you?”

“No, I don’t think it’s that bad,” Erwin said haltingly. There was a bit of rustling on the other line, as if he was checking under his clothes just to make sure.

“Okay, then it doesn’t matter.”

Erwin went quiet again.

Levi sighed. “You know what, don’t freak out. Go rest up, and I’ll be at your place by the time you wake up, got it?”

“All right,” Erwin mumbled, sounding halfway placated. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye, you big baby.”

* * *

Levi used the spare key Erwin had given him to creep inside—silently, like a ninja, ‘cause Erwin was a pig who slept till noon.

“LEVI!” The giant popped out from the living room, looking at once delighted and terrified to see him. Levi was impressed he could pull off that face, because that was some post-expensive-as-fuck-acting-boot-camp expressiveness right there.

“Oh, hey. You’re awake,” he said, tugging off his shoes.

“I couldn’t sleep in when I knew you were coming,” Erwin said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. Levi pursed his lips and tried not to just dive at him. Then he frowned, because Erwin wasn’t exactly rushing up to sweep Levi into his huge bara titties right now, which was extremely displeasing.

“So.” His gaze slid down Erwin’s body, but he was wearing an abnormally large shirt and even baggier pants than normal. Levi raised an eyebrow. “Where do you even find clothes that huge?”

“The thrift shop,” Erwin said proudly, putting his hands on his hips. “Like Macklemore. He’s a wise man, I’d say. Thrift shops have amazing deals.” Levi closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Pretty sure there was supposed to be a deeper meaning to that song, but okay,” he sighed. He made to take a step forward, but Erwin flinched. “Don’t run. You wanna get this over with, don’t you?”

“I suppose,” the blond said reluctantly.

Levi stopped an arm’s length away from him. “Where’d you get fat? Your face looks the same.”

“I think it’s mostly my stomach,” Erwin admitted sadly.

“Fine. I’m gonna lift your shirt.” Levi reached out.

“Wait!” Erwin grabbed his wrist. 

“What is it?” he said patiently.

“Can you...can we maybe kiss first?” Erwin frowned down at him, a plea in his gaze.

Levi’s eyes went round. “Wow. You’re really worried about this.”

“Maybe. A little.”

“Well, come closer then, idiot.” Levi looped his arms around Erwin’s neck, and the blond leaned down, their mouths meeting, lips slotting like they belonged together. It had been too long. Levi’s stomach and chest were crawling with icky, gooey feelings threatening to ooze out from his throat, his mouth, his fingertips. Erwin seemed to feel it too, because he appeared to momentarily forget his insecurities, and crushed Levi to his chest with both arms, sliding their tongues against each other. The smaller man ran his palms over Erwin’s smooth, healed cheeks, sighing.

Levi’s knees were embarrassingly weak by the time he pulled away. He rubbed his thumb over his wet lips, eyeing Erwin’s equally shiny ones. “Damn, that’s hot.” Erwin chuckled, a little hoarse. “All right, no more stalling. It’s stripping time.”

Erwin’s smile fell. “I thought we were just lifting my shirt?”

“I changed my mind,” Levi drawled. “This will make things easier for later. Now hurry up.”

Erwin took a deep breath. “Fine.” And he pulled his shirt off.

Levi stared. He frowned so hard he could feel himself getting new wrinkles.

Erwin’s chest was still bulky, although there seemed to have been a minimal amount of muscle tissue loss. His abs remained somewhat defined despite the thin layer of softness that had collected over his tummy.

“I don’t get it,” Levi said, crossing his arms.

“What?” Erwin exclaimed. “Is it that bad?” He pinched himself by the bellybutton. It looked like it hurt, how hard he had to pinch to show Levi what ‘fat’ he was referring to.

“What the fuck, Erwin?” he snapped. “You call that fat? Apologize to all the actual struggling fat people in the world right now.” Erwin spluttered. “Seriously, it’ll take, like, two months tops before you’re back to being on the front cover of...okay, I don’t know any magazines with hot, buff guys on the cover, but you know what I mean. God, I can’t believe you were just freaking out over nothing.”

“I wouldn’t have minded if I wasn’t worried about you,” Erwin protested. “I know you like muscles...you even rejected someone once for not having pecs...”

Levi flushed. “Yeah, I like muscles! I fucking love them, but it’s this stupid fucking thing—” he stabbed Erwin’s chest where his heart was, “—that makes me keep you around, okay? And I didn’t reject that kid just ‘cause he didn’t have tits. There were other reasons, goddammit.”

Erwin said nothing for a few seconds. And then he finally sighed, every muscle in his body seeming to loosen, a weight evaporating from his shoulders. “Of course. You’re right, Levi. I’m sorry, I was being silly.”

“Yeah, no shit.”

Erwin pouted. “It’s just that I hadn’t seen you in so long. And then the moment of truth in front of the mirror was quite shocking. I didn't want to disappoint you.”

"What the fuck, Erwin? I wouldn't be disappointed by something so superficial. You couldn't disappoint me even with two broken legs and a missing right arm."

Erwin blinked at him, several times in rapid succession. "Really?"

Levi wanted to smack him and squish his cheeks at the same time. “Really, you idiot.” 

"I see," Erwin murmured. "...I see." His eyes roamed over Levi's features, soft and slow, almost a physical touch. “I missed you.”

All right, squish cheeks it was. He reached up to pinch them. The blond finally began cracking a smile, and Levi stretched it unnaturally wide, grinning despite himself. “I missed you too, you big fuck.”

Erwin covered Levi’s hands with his own. “How much?”

“How much what?”

“How much did you miss me?”

“Hm. A little."

"Only a little? Darn."

"Maybe one-point-seven times more than usual.”

“Then I suppose I’ll have to work harder to win the affections of everyone's beloved Captain Levi.”

"Why the hell am I Captain Levi?"

"Petra calls you that sometimes. It's quite fitting, don't you think? I'd definitely coerce you into becoming my captain."

“Yeah, well, you’d better work at it. Who knows when I’ll get snatched away by some guy with more impressive eyebrows, huh?”

Erwin laughed and shook his head. He smiled fondly down at the shorter man. “So...are you going to ravage me now?”

Levi quirked an eyebrow. “Do you want me to? We do have the whole day.”

“Now is fine,” Erwin replied immediately.

“Then, yeah. I’m gonna ravage you now. Unless you had other plans.”

Erwin’s grin got brighter. “My only plan other than getting ravaged was to do some ravaging of my own,” he quipped, and then he promptly bent down and picked Levi up.

The dark-haired man cursed loudly, wrapping his limbs around the giant man-child. “Why the fuck do you always do that.”

“I know you secretly like it.” Levi just scowled and tightened his grip, deciding against protesting because, well, he _did_ like it.

They headed straight for Erwin's bedroom, leaving his shirt lying on the ground by the front door, which Levi might’ve bitched about if he wasn’t preoccupied with the thought of finally getting some hot blond ass. “Wait, what about Mike? Are we gonna have to be quiet?”

“Mike left this morning for Nana’s place,” Erwin said as he kicked the door to his room open and locked it behind him, using a single arm to hold Levi up. Levi tried not to be too turned on by that.

“Wow, seriously? Why don’t they just live together? He’s never here.”

“They’re planning to get married soon, so I think they’re looking into getting an apartment together.”

“Holy shit, marriage. Damn.”

“Yes. Young, but everyone saw it coming. They’ve been dating for years now, after all.” Erwin fell back on the bed with Levi on top of him, golden hair a halo around his head, blue eyes pale and translucent in the morning light. The smile playing on his lips made Levi bury his face in Erwin’s neck to hide his own dopey grin. The blond’s skin smelled like body wash, tempting him into sucking small kisses on it. “Hmm.” Erwin tugged at the hem of Levi’s shirt. “Take this off first.”

Levi sat up and pulled his shirt over his head, folded it and dropped it on the floor, then leaned back down to kiss Erwin. They kept it sweet, a languorous dance of tongues, noses brushing. Levi could taste something sugary in the other's mouth, probably from breakfast, those Healthnut Cheerios or whatever the hell they were called. Usually he hated that crap, thought the sugar tasted synthetic somehow, but on Erwin's warm, velvety tongue, its sweetness was enticing, coaxing him into chasing it back into the blond's mouth. Erwin was the first to pull away this time, licking his lips, eyes hazy already. “Can we go slow today?”

Levi pretended to think. “Only if you give me your cock.”

They’d gotten to the point where Erwin didn’t blush at the word anymore, which Levi felt kind of wistful about, but Erwin’s growing level of comfort around him also made him warm and fuzzy inside. Erwin frowned. “I don’t know. Are you ready?”

“Yeah.” Levi pressed kisses to his cheek, then the hinge of his jaw, trailing up. “I’ve been practicing with my fingers every night, dear boyfriend,” he murmured, breath snaking across Erwin’s ear. The larger man shuddered. “If you want slow, I don’t mind making out for another hour or two,” Levi added, half-serious. “Making out’s fun too.”

Erwin chuckled, deep and throaty. “Let’s just go with the flow.”

They kissed lazily, hands wandering. Levi rose on his knees to give himself better leverage, straddling Erwin’s hips. He touched the blond’s chest, stroking through golden curls, tweaking a dusky nipple. Erwin let out a sexy little sigh.

Large hands distracted Levi from his BF-mapping, one toying with the spiky hairs of his undercut, the other rubbing down his back, fingers sneaking into his jeans. The left hand was rougher, calloused from holding Erwin’s full weight on the crutch over the last few weeks. It felt good caressing his skin.

When he pulled away to breathe, Erwin took the chance to kiss down his neck, Levi leaning forward to give him easier access. He began sucking in earnest on Levi’s collarbone, fingers still inching their way into the smaller man’s pants.

“Mmm, no marks where people can see.”

“I know,” Erwin said between sucks.

While Levi wasn’t paying attention, focused on slowing his breaths and reveling in the pinpricks of pleasure on his collarbone that were shooting straight to his groin, the hand that had been in his hair was snaking down. It caressed his abs with firm fingers, memorizing their shape, then slipped south and wrapped around the bulge in his pants, gentle. “Ngh.” Levi’s hips twitched. “Dammit, Erwin, what happened to going slow?”

Erwin’s lips curved against him. “But you looked like you really wanted me to touch you.”

“You just can’t keep your hands off of me, dirty old man.”

“We’re the same age.”

“Shut up,” Levi retorted, then cursed his brain for the immensely eloquent comeback.

“Well. At least we’re not tearing each other’s clothes off like we usually do.” Erwin squeezed again. Levi’s mouth fell open as he thrust downwards, grinding against his hand.

Suddenly, his head was spinning and he yelped, eyes shooting open. He found himself sprawled on his back, blinking up at the ceiling as Erwin deftly undid the button of his jeans. Slightly dazed, he lifted his legs to help the blond pull his pants and boxer briefs down in one go.

“That gets me every time,” he remarked.

“Should I warn you before I flip you over?” Erwin asked, flinging Levi’s jeans over his shoulder. He briefly considered lecturing Erwin about his clothes-flinging tendencies but decided he could do that later.

“Well, I don’t actually mind. I was just saying.”

“I thought you liked it when I was a bit rougher,” Erwin teased, crawling over his body and leaning down to kiss him, crowding him in his arms.

Levi scowled, face heating when Erwin pulled away to look at him. “I mean. I do.”

“But...?” Erwin prompted, cupping his cheek.

Levi rolled his eyes. “No buts. It was just a comment.”

Erwin chuckled. “All right.”

“Don’t act like you're manhandling me only because _I_ like it.” Levi smirked, smoothing his hands over Erwin’s shoulders. “Kinky son of a bitch.”

It was Erwin’s turn to blush, dark pink blossoming over his face. “I can’t help how arousing it is when you give yourself to me like that.”

Levi stared at him blankly. “So, basically, knowing I trust you gives you a kick.”

Erwin’s entire face was tomato red by now, and he was looking at some spot on the pillow beside Levi’s head. “Something along those lines.”

Levi leered, lightly scratching his nails over Erwin’s back. “You’re some kind of a pervert, huh.”

“I am _not_. Maybe a little bit. But just for you,” Erwin whispered, kissing him on the cheek.

Levi wrinkled his nose. “Ugh.” He spread his legs around Erwin’s waist, hooking his toes underneath the stretchy elastic holding up the blond’s old-man sweats, pushing to get the pants off with his feet. “Take ‘em off.”

"Yes, yes." Erwin wiggled out of them and his briefs and dumped them on the floor before falling back on to Levi, smothering the smaller man’s face with butterfly kisses.

“Stop it, you sappy fuck.” Levi grinned even as he batted him away. “Get on with it or my dick’s gonna fall off.”

“Yes, darling,” Erwin grinned back, and then unceremoniously grabbed Levi’s erection.

“Shit,” Levi hissed, rutting into his hand.

“You’re already leaking,” Erwin said in wonder.

“Shut the fuck up, it’s been ages since I’ve had anything other than my right hand.”

Erwin snorted out a laugh. “All right, I can understand that.”

Levi narrowed his eyes, but the effect was ruined by his shaky voice, Erwin’s pumping hand dragging his brain cells out through his dick. “What? Don’t tell me you didn’t jerk off.”

“Of course I did,” Erwin said matter-of-factly. He looked like he was going to say something else, but he stopped, gaze dropping when Levi began rolling his hips.

“Yeah?” Levi said huskily. Erwin’s eyes darted back up to his face, lingering on his mouth. “What did you think about?”

The blond didn't answer for several seconds, and Levi cocked his head. “...What?” Erwin said, stilted.

Levi smirked and teasingly scraped his teeth over his own bottom lip, basking in his ability to make articulate Erwin Smith lose his words. The movement was followed by hawk eyes. “What d’you use as masturbation material?”

It took a moment, but the blond finally registered what he said and his hand stopped. The redness came back, starting at his ears this time before spreading across his cheeks. “I thought about you,” he admitted.

Levi imagined him in the shower, head thrown back, both hands around his thick cock, Levi's name a whispered echo against the walls. He shivered, his erection twitching in Erwin's hand. “About me doing what?”

Erwin’s face was positively glowing now. Levi wondered if it was possible to pass out from having too much blood in your head. He glanced down. Then again, there was still a shit ton of blood in Erwin’s monster dick, so maybe not.

“Y-You—” Erwin was stuttering uselessly.

“So depraved you can’t tell me?” he baited.

“No! It was normal. Um. Passionate? Dreamy...? Sort of?”

Levi blinked.

Erwin fidgeted, gnawing on his bottom lip. Unfortunately (and fortunately), his fidgeting meant unexpected friction on Levi’s dick, but even that wasn’t enough to distract him from the sudden pang of affection that hit him as he stared up at Erwin. The other man looked oddly adorable as he hovered over him with his hand around Levi’s penis, blushing up to the roots of his hair, confessing his fantasies of vanilla love-making with his crass, sarcastic, unromantic boyfriend. Levi didn’t know why, but the sight made his heart fill.

He cleared his throat. “Y-Yeah? Normal, huh?”

Erwin nodded, averting his gaze again, blond lashes standing out against his red face. Okay, Levi’s tiny little height-proportionate heart could only take so much.

“IthinkImightloveyou,” burst from his throat before he could choke it back.

Erwin’s mouth fell open, and Levi began panicking.

“Fuck. Shit. I mean.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “Goddammit, I didn’t mean to say it like that. In the middle of this. While you're holding my fucking cock.”

Erwin looked like he’d just been hit by a truck. But, like, without the pain and blood and other nasty shit.

“Fucking say something,” Levi muttered, looking away.

"Was—” Erwin tried, but his voice cracked. He coughed. “Was the handjob that good?" he said weakly.

Levi groaned. "You weren't even—”

He was tackled mid-sentence, crushed into the bed as Erwin’s limbs wrapped all the way around him like he couldn’t get enough, face pressed against the smaller man’s cheek. “What the fu—”

“I love you, too.”

Levi froze. Of course, a part of him had been expecting it, had been aching for Erwin to return the words the second they’d accidentally spewed out of his traitorous mouth. And they came as expected but somehow managed to surprise him still, knocking the air out of the lungs, his chest so full he could hardly breathe. When was the last time he’d felt such uncontaminated happiness?

He smiled, hugging Erwin back, one of those tight, warm embraces he could feel in his bones. “Good. You moron.”

Erwin laughed and somehow pressed closer. Levi nosed at the spot below his ear, letting Erwin cling to him for a while longer before his limit for gross mushiness was reached, quota met for a year or three. “Your dick’s, like, burning a hole into my thigh.”

“Oh, sorry,” Erwin said sheepishly, shifting to move away, but Levi’s hand shot down to stroke him. Erwin let out a quiet moan.

“Well, that was some nice foreplay and all, but I think I want this in my ass now.”

“I’m not sure that counted as foreplay,” Erwin managed.

“Good enough for me if it’s good enough for you,” Levi sneered, twisting his wrist.

“Fine, fine,” Erwin groaned. Levi smirked in triumph, shoving him away so he could get on his hands and knees.

“Now prep me, you big fuck.”

* * *

He clawed at Erwin’s back, trembling in the cradle of his arms as he felt himself split wide around thick cock. Harsh breaths dragged through his throat like razor blades, and yet his lungs were left wanting.

“Levi,” Erwin whispered, a hand pushing his bangs back, cool against his burning skin. “Are you all right?”

He forced his eyes to open, looking up at Erwin’s sweaty, red face, the worry lines creasing his forehead. “I—I need a moment.”

“Of course,” Erwin said, holding completely still. “Can I do anything for you?”

“Nah,” he sighed, and then after a moment’s thought: “Gimme a kiss.”

Erwin immediately obliged, soft, open-mouthed kisses that made Levi melt and relax fractionally around him. The easing of pressure made the blond sink in a little. Levi’s breath hitched.

“Shoot, sorry, sorry,” Erwin murmured. “Didn’t mean to do that.”

“It’s fine,” he mumbled. “Actually, that wasn’t so bad. I think you can try moving now.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

Erwin began shifting forward in small thrusts, so gentle that Levi felt his eyes water. The larger man leaned down again in a delicate kiss, and Levi gasped against his lips, clinging to his shoulders. They both let out a sigh when Erwin’s hips finally met Levi’s thighs.

“Fuck,” he said, wanting to laugh because something that huge was actually fitting inside him, but not wanting to jostle the monster. The strain was starting to show on Erwin’s face from having to hold back, a vein in his neck pulsing to the beat Levi could feel deep in his ass. “You can move if you want.”

“No. You should get used to it first,” Erwin said firmly. Levi silently agreed because it still kind of hurt, although he was touched to see Erwin so concerned about him even as his iron control was slipping.

He decided he should help out, and wracked his brain for some sort of genius idea to distract his boyfriend. “So, uh. How was your day?” Okay, that wasn’t exactly what Levi would call genius, but who could blame him when he had this _thing_ tearing him in half?

Erwin smiled, stiff and awkward. “Are you trying to make small talk right now?”

“Well, I mean, I figure you could use the distraction. You look like you’re having a hard time over there. Hah, hard, get it?”

Erwin laughed, and Levi could feel the vibrations against his inner walls. Should he be concerned that that kind of turned him on? “You’re worried about me right now? You should be worried about yourself.”

“Eh, I’m fine.”

“Really? You looked like you were in a lot of pain.”

“It’s getting better. What the fuck did you even eat to get so big?”

“I don’t know. Do you think it was the milk? I drank a lot of milk when I was younger.”

“Oh my fucking God,” Levi groaned. “I changed my mind. No more small talk.”

“What?” Erwin said defensively. "I thought we had a nice conversation going.”

“Just shut up,” Levi snapped without venom, pulling him closer, their chests pressed together. The weight of the blond over him simultaneously comforted him and made his blood sing in arousal. Erwin brushed his nose against Levi’s ear, a low noise rumbling from his throat.

“You’re so tight,” he muttered. “So small.”

The words sent a spark down Levi's spine even as he said, "Fucking rude.”

Erwin’s lips curved against his jaw. “But I love your size.”

“Yeah, ‘cause you’re a pervert who likes impaling tight little asses on that massive horse cock.” Erwin twitched inside him. “I felt that. Don’t even try to deny it.”

Erwin groaned, this time in embarrassment. Levi just snickered and flexed his hips experimentally. He didn’t feel the sting of pain this time, the stretch having slowly numbed into a vague sensation of fullness.

“I’m good. You can move.”

"All right." Erwin carefully pulled out, dragging against his walls, slippery but still a little too big to be comfortable. Levi grit his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut as Erwin pushed back in. "Are you okay? I think we should wait a while longer," Erwin said worriedly.

"No, I'll get used to it faster this way," Levi grunted. "Keep going." He opened his eyes to look up at Erwin, at his beautiful boyfriend straining not to hurt him, face all scrunched up. The look sent a wave of heat through him, his cock jumping against his stomach. He watched a bead of sweat trail down the side of Erwin's neck to the pecs that Levi adored so much, disappearing into dark blond curls, and his thick biceps bunched up around the smaller man's head, steadying his crushing weight as his hips rolled, the ripple of abs barely visible under shiny skin. His back was tense under Levi’s palms.

"You're so fucking hot," Levi sighed under his breath, eyes lidding.

Erwin stopped, blinking down at him. "What was that?"

"Nothing," he muttered and lightly smacked Erwin's ass. "Don't stop." The larger man complied, and Levi’s gaze was drawn to where they were connected, the pillow that was cushioning his hips allowing him an unobstructed view.

The air was punched out of him when he caught sight of Erwin's ruddy, glistening cock framed by Levi's own spread legs, sliding out, inch by inch. He moaned as Erwin thrust in again, eyes rolling to the back of his head, imagining what he must look like stretched around that girth.

But then the blond stopped again. "Levi? Does it hurt?"

"Fuck, I told you not to stop," he growled and shoved his hips up, pulling a startled moan from Erwin. "It doesn't hurt anymore, c'mon, stop treating me like glass, big guy."

He'd barely finished his sentence before Erwin was rearing back and driving in hard, the breath whooshing out of him. Levi groaned, meeting every stroke, thighs trembling. Then Erwin's large hands were on him, lifting his ass off the mattress, and Levi wrapped his legs tighter around Erwin's waist, his arms falling to grip the other man’s wrists. Erwin was looking for his good spot, angling each thrust until he finally hit it, the burst of pleasure whiting out Levi’s mind. He threw his head back, arching and crying out.

"Th-There, Erwin—"

The blond's laugh was winded but low, stirring something primal in the pit of Levi's stomach. Erwin complied, hitting that spot again and again until Levi couldn't hold on anymore and collapsed back on to the bed, twisting the sheets in his hands. The larger man lowered himself so that he was pinning him to the mattress with his upper body, his hips never stopping.

"You're so beautiful," he hissed into Levi's ear. "Come on, don't bite your lip, let me hear you." He brushed a thumb over the dark-haired man's bottom lip, and Levi released it from between his teeth, glaring up at him through bleary eyes.

"Y-You fucking s-sadi—ah, fuck, Erwin, I can't—I can't—" He let out a high moan, hips twitching uncontrollably.

To his utter horror, Erwin slowed his thrusts. The drag of his cock was more acute this way, earnest and deep, massaging deliciously across Levi’s prostate. But although this burn was stronger, hotter, it was slow, too slow when he’d been so close. Levi let out a noise that sounded suspiciously like a whine, but he didn’t have the presence of mind right now to be embarrassed.

"Shit, Erwin, what the fuc—"

"Shh," the blond soothed, stroking his cheek with the back of his hand. "I want to make this last."

“I was so fucking close—” he really did whine this time.

“Then it’ll feel even better when you do come later,” Erwin insisted, fingers gentle on his face. “Please, Levi?”

He wanted to scream in frustration, wanted to grind himself against the hot flesh inside him until he couldn't remember his own name anymore, but the part of him that wanted this to last too held him back. His ass was tingling with how good he felt inside, stuffed full, heat simmering around Erwin and radiating out to his fingers, his toes, his dizzy head. And having Erwin so close, everything bared just for him, flushed with damp hair sticking to his forehead and looking down at Levi like he was precious, was another experience all in itself. It was nice.

But that didn't mean he was going to make it easy.

He melted into the bed, watching through half-lidded eyes, letting Erwin press into him at a torturous pace. Erwin relaxed, thinking the threat over, and kissed him tenderly on the nose, his bangs falling in his eyes. It was endearing, really. Levi memorized the softness of his face in this moment before whispering, "Erwin."

"Yes?" he replied, smiling.

Levi stuck out his bottom lip and widened his eyes, looping his arms around the blond's neck again. "I want to come."

Erwin's hips stuttered.

“Levi...”

"Please? Please let me come?" Levi pouted, tightening his walls around Erwin's cock and circling his hips. The larger man squeezed his eyes shut and groaned. "Please," Levi murmured, smirking. “Sir.”

Erwin snapped. He pulled out with a feral growl, so abruptly that Levi yelped, flipped the smaller man on his stomach, and immediately rammed into him again. Levi shouted, seeing stars. He squirmed, but Erwin was holding him down with one large hand between the wings of his shoulder blades, driving him into the bed. His cock perfectly stabbed across Levi's prostate, relentless in its long strokes, pulling out until the head caught on the tight pucker of Levi’s entrance then slamming back in. The thick base of his dick split Levi until just barely on the good side of almost-too-much, and Levi loved it, loved it, was afraid he might get addicted to this feeling—

"Ah—ah—Er—ah—" he cried, mouth hanging open. Saliva collected at the corners of his lips as Erwin pounded into him again and again, breaths hissing into Levi’s ear. He tried to meet his thrusts, tried to at least tilt his ass up to relieve some of the pressure on his dick, but the only thing he could do under the weight of Erwin’s body, the strength of his hips, was helplessly writhe.

“Levi...you look so good like this...” Erwin moaned. “Do you like when I do this to you, hmm?” He punctuated the question with a particularly sharp thrust, one that made Levi skid up the sheets. His eyes watered.

“Y-Yeah, Er—ngh! Erwin—” he whimpered. “Erwin, plea—ah—”

“Please what, Levi?” Erwin murmured darkly. His hand abandoned Levi’s back to rub his nipple, caressing and pulling, nicking the very tip with his nail.

“Fuck!” Levi twisted in his hands. “Erwi—let m—uhhh! Let me come, please, please, please—”

“Well, since you asked so nicely,” Erwin breathed, kissing the side of his neck.

When the blond reached down and began stroking a thumb roughly around the head of Levi's cock, he lasted only seconds more before he came with a sob, back arching and toes curling. Erwin kept going, one, two, three more thrusts, and then he groaned, so low that it made Levi shiver anew, warmth flooding into the smaller man’s tensed body.

Erwin collapsed beside him, huffing and puffing. Levi just lay there, face half buried in a pillow beside clear wet spots he didn’t want to think about, trying to catch his breath. Residual shivers ran up and down his spine, making the shakiness stay in his limbs for long moments, his muscles feeling really, truly spent. He hadn't even known orgasms could be so intense.

It felt like eternity before the haze gradually began to lift from his mind and he felt like he could function like a normal human being again. By then, Erwin was also silent beside him, breathing softly.

He cleared his throat, but his voice still came out scratchy. "So," he mumbled into the pillow. It was so muffled that he wondered if Erwin could hear him, but the other man hummed in acknowledgement, sounding like he was still in la-la land himself. “That was fun.”

“Mmm.”

Levi breathed in deeply. He could smell Erwin’s shampoo. "Do you think I'm gonna get the shits later?"

Erwin made a noise between a groan and a laugh and rolled over, throwing his arm over Levi's back. He kissed the smaller man on the head. "When you told me earlier that you wanted me to come inside, I thought you'd done some research."

"Nah, I just wanted to see what it would feel like,” Levi sighed. “‘m glad we decided to do it without a condom, though. Felt fucking amazing."

“Sure did,” Erwin laughed. “But are you sure you don’t want to personally see my test results? These things are pretty impor—”

“Oh, shut up. If you say you’re clean then you’re clean. Besides, it’s too late now.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“When were yours even from?”

“Last week.”

“Mine, too. You don’t wanna see mine?”

“No, I trust you.”

“Okay then.” Levi peeked an eye over to his boyfriend, whose face was also stuffed in a pillow beside him. Erwin turned to face him when he heard Levi shift, smiling in a kind of daze. “Well, that was some pretty unsexy pillow talk,” Levi commented.

The corners of Erwin’s eyes crinkled. "And a pretty unconventional first time, too. Sorry I was kind of rough there."

"Uh, you know I wouldn’t have let it get that far if I didn’t want it. Did you not hear me fucking screaming 'bout how good it was?" Levi snorted. Erwin grinned. "And you’d better get used to unconventional. My existence is the definition of unconventional."

"Well, I do like that part of you. But one day," Erwin promised. "One day, we'll do it so slowly and gently we'll become one with the sheets."

"Pervert," Levi grumbled. "...Not a bad idea though."

Erwin chuckled and ruffled his hair, then clambered off the bed. Levi watched him disappear out the door and come back with a towel, nudging Levi on to his back so he could clean him off. Then he fell back on the bed, wrapped himself around the other man, and dragged the covers over them. He sighed contentedly as Levi snuggled into the hollow of his neck.

"Erwin."

"Yes?" he mumbled, sounding half asleep already.

"Sam Smith."

Erwin paused, and then he clutched Levi tighter to his chest, his chuckle rumbling against his cheek. "I knew it."

"What." Levi pulled back, glaring up at him. A thin strip of light sneaking in between the closed curtains cut across Erwin's eyes, but he didn't seem to mind. "Yeah, right, there's no way you knew. Even Hange and Petra think my favourite singer is Lady Gaga."

"I knew." Erwin smiled. "You had a look on your face when we heard 'Stay with me' at that restaurant."

Levi scowled, miffed that his great secret had been received with such little ceremony. "Fine, who's your favourite singer then?"

"I'm not sure," Erwin said, absentmindedly rubbing Levi's lower back. "I only occasionally listen to the radio."

"We need to explore your taste in music," Levi declared. "You can't not have a favourite artist."

“Do you have any suggestions?”

“Only about a million. I’d recommend disgusting ballads for a man as disgusting as you.”

“Aww. But don’t you think disgusting ballads have started to make sense lately?”

“...Are you implying something.”

“Nothing in particular,” Erwin said innocently.

“Go away, you’re gonna give me cavities.”

“Says the man whose favourite singer is a specialist in love ballads.”

“Oh my God, shut the fuck up.”

Erwin snickered. "But you know, if I absolutely had to choose an artist, I think I’d maybe pick Taylor Swift. You know that song 'You Belong with Me'? It's so _catchy_."

Levi gawked.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

He sat up and silently began to climb off the bed.

"Levi? Where are you going?" Erwin asked, alarmed.

"I'm done here. Your favourite singer is Taylor Swift. I just. I can't even." He found his boxers scrunched up on the floor all the way by Erwin's desk and pulled them on. "So long, farewell, hasta la vista."

"No, Levi, don't go," Erwin moaned, flopping on to his stomach. "Come baaack. At least I didn't say Justin Bieber, right? Levi? Levi!"

* * *

After Erwin cajoled Levi back into bed, they spent the rest of the morning fooling around, then showering, then fooling around some more and needing to shower again. Levi's face was starting to hurt from grinning so much, his smile muscles weak from disuse, and he predicted that his voice would be lost by the end of the day. It was scary how happy he was. He should've known good things tended not to last.

"There was actually something I wanted to talk to you about," Erwin said as they were eating brunch later, grilled cheese sandwiches and a potato salad that Levi had miraculously whipped up from the void in Erwin's fridge. “I was going to tell you earlier, but it...didn’t seem like the right time.”

"What, did you find some other insignificant imperfection on your body?" Levi scoffed. "By the way, just for the record, I'm never letting you live that down."

"No, it's..." Erwin fiddled with his fork. "I was offered an internship at one of the country's top law firms. Well, at a branch of it. If I accept, then I start in December, under the condition that I pass the bar exam, of course."

"What the fuck, Erwin!" Levi exclaimed, face splitting in a grin. "That's amazing!"

The blond nodded, mouth twisting. "But it's in Shiganshina."

"What?" Levi frowned. "But that's...like...halfway across the country."

Erwin looked down.

"Oh," Levi said. His appetite disappeared.

"The minimum duration is a year. If they like me, they'll keep me for up to another two years. So I wanted to ask your opinion."

"My opinion? About what?" Levi wiped his crumb-covered fingers on his napkin and crossed his arms. Erwin put his fork down too, clasping his hands together.

"About whether or not I should go," he said quietly.

Levi suppressed the desperation and helplessness that suddenly exploded in his chest, locking it down so that it didn’t show on his face. "What the fuck? Of course you need to go, dimwit. That's not even a question."

"But I—"

"Don't you dare tell me you wouldn't go if I told you not to, ‘cause that’s just fucking stupid. And a complete lie."

Erwin's mouth snapped shut. He looked so heartbroken that Levi immediately wanted to take the words back. He should know better than to throw his emotions around like a child, but communication had never been his strong point.

“I wasn’t going to say that,” Erwin murmured.

Levi sighed and let his arms fall to his side. "My bad. That came out harsher than I meant. But it’s such a good opportunity that you have to go. I’ll still be here when you get back.”

Erwin held his hand out. Levi stared at it for a second before offering his own, and Erwin took it, pressing his lips to the palm. “It could take up to three years, Levi. I can’t make you wait that long.”

Levi rolled his eyes, even as his stomach turned. But his words were sincere. “You’re not _making_ me do anything, idiot.”

“Even so, I’m the one putting you in this situation. Long distance relationships are difficult.” Erwin pressed another kiss to his skin, this time on the inside of his wrist. “I'm upset just from thinking about it.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not your fault the branch office is in fucking Shiganshina. Besides, I’m telling you that I’m the one choosing to stay with you. Stop thinking that you're ruining my life or whatever. I can leave any time, and I might still leave if I get fed up. But for now, the only option I see is to stay. So stop being a martyr, eat your fucking sandwich, and go take a nice, long shit when you’re done.”

Erwin smiled, but he kind of looked like he wanted to cry. “Yes, dear.”

Levi pinched him at the junction between his thumb and index finger. “Don’t call me that.”

“Sorry, darling.”

“Listen here, you little shit...” He trailed off when Erwin cupped both his hands in his bigger ones, the care he took in the movement heavy on Levi’s heart.

“You’re really okay with this?” Erwin said. “One whole year. Or even three. I can’t comprehend what that might feel like. Three weeks alone feels like eternity.”

“Yeah. Well.” Levi ran his eyes over the blond’s thinned lips, the furrow in his brow. He gripping Erwin's hand so hard it must have hurt. “We’ll make it work.”

Erwin squeezed back. “You think so?”

“Yeah. You planning on giving up so soon?”

“No,” Erwin said immediately. “Absolutely not.”

“That’s that, then.”

“...All right.”

But Erwin still looked doubtful, and Levi hated that, so he joked, “Please. We’re Commander Erwin and Captain Levi. We could overthrow the government if we put our minds to it.”

Erwin smiled back, tentative.

"I'm serious here," Levi warned. "Obama had better watch his back."

Erwin finally laughed, hope lighting up his grin. “You're right. I’ll trust in your decision, Captain.”

“Roger, Erwin.”

* * *

Life didn’t always go the way Levi planned, but he considered himself a decently positive person. There was no point in lingering on things he couldn't change. It wouldn’t be until months, maybe years later, before he’d know whether staying with Erwin was the correct decision, but it was a decision he would never regret, and that was good enough for him.

And so he decided that the time had finally come for him to do something very important.

* * *

“...Is that a cartoon?”

Kenny turned to him, squinting, forehead wrinkled. “No, it’s an anime. What, you can’t tell the difference between an anime and a cartoon? When you have Japanese blood in you? Shame.”

Levi scowled. “Well, _sorry_. It isn’t exactly obvious when it’s been dubbed in English. And you’re full Japanese, shouldn’t you be watching this shit in its original language?”

“I was just channel surfing when I found it. Heard that it’s quite the hype amongst youngsters these days.”

Levi clicked his tongue. “Whatever. You got a minute now? We need to talk.”

“Oh?” Kenny muted the sounds of screaming and bone-crunching blasting from the TV. “I’m all ears.”

Levi plopped down beside him, one leg stretched across the couch and the other propped against his chest, arm flopping over his knee. “I’m gay. And my boyfriend’s going to Shiganshina for his lawyer internship. It’ll take anywhere from one to three years. And before you ask, he’s hot as fuck.”

Kenny blinked, but his expectant expression didn’t change. “Okay. So, long distance?”

“Yeah.”

“Think you can manage?”

“Dunno. We’ll try.”

“Okay.” Kenny scratched his beard. “That all?”

“Uh.” Levi scowled, foot tapping. It didn’t make any kind of a satisfying sound against the couch cushion. “I guess?”

Kenny blinked again, slowly and deliberately. “Can I go back to my anime then? It was getting to the good part.”

Levi was left speechless for a short second, so he hurled a pillow at Kenny instead, who caught it without flinching. “What the fuck?” Levi snapped. “You’re supposed to be shocked, or at least surprised or some shit. I just came out of the closet.”

Kenny shrugged, relaxing against the arm rest. “It ain’t my business where you go sticking your dick. Or what you get stuck in you, for that matter. Actually, don’t tell me, ‘cause I really don’t want to know.”

Levi spluttered. “But I’m gay!”

Kenny snorted out a laugh. “Listen, kid. How many years do you think I’ve known you now? I’ve practically been single-handedly raising you since you were born. At first, I thought you were just asexual like me, but then we watched Captain America, and, you know. It all made sense.”

“What—but—”

“It’s the Erwin boy, isn’t it?”

Levi nodded, gaping.

“Yeah, I’ve never seen you like anyone so much. Plus he looks just like the captain.”

“What the hell!” Levi yelled. “Why does everyone think I’m a whore for looks?”

“Because you are,” Kenny deadpanned with a raised brow.

“Shut the fuck up!”

“Your whoring ways started young, boy. Blondie was the cutest little fucker even back in preschool.”

“Wait, what?” Levi straightened. “You remember him?”

“Well, yeah. He was all you ever talked about. ‘Ewwin fowgot to wear pants to skewl today.’ ‘Ewwin got bullied but I pwotected him.’ ‘Ewwin was sad but he didn’t cwy, Ewwin’s so stwong, Kenny.’”

“First of all, ew, I did not talk like that. Second, he forgot to wear pants? How the fuck does that even happen?”

“I don’t know, ask him, not me. I only remember that you said the other kids started bullying him because of that.” Levi thought back to thetime Erwin had told him a horror story where the protagonist had gotten to the bus stop before realizing he'd forgotten to wear pants. Yeah. Yeah, he could believe it. 

Levi sat back, exhaling a long breath. “Okay. So. Uh. You’re really okay with this?”

“No shit. Did you think I wouldn’t be?”

“Well, I dunno. I wasn’t sure.” Kenny rolled his eyes. “When did you figure out it was Erwin?”

“Oh, who knows. Maybe it was that time we went shopping and I asked you what scent of Febreeze you wanted and you chose lavender because ‘that’s what Erwin would want’. Or maybe it was when you went halfway across town to buy some famous brand of fried chicken when you don’t even like fried chicken because Erwin recommended it and you ‘trust in Erwin’s decisions’. Or maybe it was—”

“OKAY,” Levi squawked, shooting to his feet. “I get it. You’ve made your point. And I’m about done with this conversation, so why don’t you go back to your anime, and I’ll go take a shit or something.”

He was already at the stairs when Kenny called his name. The older man was peering at him over the couch, arms crossed. “I know we’ve never exactly talked about this, Levi, because neither of us is good with words. But I just want to make it clear that even though it wasn’t exactly my choice to get stuck babysitting my sister’s snot-nosed baby, I’m...glad that things turned out this way. I know I’m not the world’s best parent. But. Well. I’m glad, anyway.”

Levi opened his mouth, but no words came out.

“And I know you too fucking well, shitty brat. One day someone’s gonna ask you to move in with them, or propose to you or some shit, and you’re gonna hesitate ‘cause you think I’ll die without you picking up after me.”

“Huh. You sure about that? You won’t die without me?” Levi said, all bravado, but his heart felt like it was being squeezed in his chest.

“The fuck?” Kenny threw his head back and cackled. “I’ll have you know that I survived for decades before you even came into this world. So if you’re gonna use me as some kinda excuse not to get on with your shitty life, then that would be a real insult. That’s all I wanted to say. You got it?”

Levi’s lips pressed into a thin line, and he nodded mutely.

“Verbal answer, shithead. Worst fucking manners ever. Don’t say you got them from me.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it,” Levi muttered.

“Good.” Kenny turned back around and unmuted the TV. Levi stared at the back of his head, scraggly black hair dotted with white. He walked back over and sat on the other end of the couch, throwing his weight down like he didn’t want to be there.

“So what’s this stupid show called, anyway?”

Kenny grinned, two crooked rows of sharp teeth. “Attack on Titan. Ever heard of it?”

* * *

Nothing really changed between him and Kenny after that, but sometimes, he’d catch the older man watching him with a softer look in his eyes that reminded Levi of Erwin, or Petra, or Hange. And maybe that was the only thing that truly mattered.

All he had left to do afterwards was to wait. The next few months dragged on in routine, long weekdays of work and short weekends of Erwin. The blond got busier and busier as the last month of the year loomed ahead, and sometimes they went weeks without seeing each other. At first Levi felt cheated of his cherished remaining time with Erwin, but he learned to tough it out by imagining it as practice for when Erwin was actually gone.

On December 1st, Erwin took his bar exam. The weeks following, Levi practically lived at his place, sometimes even spending weeknights in the dorm that had become his second home. He helped Erwin gradually box his life into cardboard, marching around with a label-maker that he promised would make life much easier later (although the only label Erwin cared about was the one that read ‘Levi’s’, which the smaller man had stuck on Erwin's ass).

On the twentieth, Erwin received notice that he’d passed the exam, and on the twenty-fourth, Petra, Hange, Nanaba, and Mike gathered with them at Mike and Nana’s new apartment for a Christmas-slash-Levi’s-birthday-slash-Erwin’s-farewell party. Hange and the ladies got so drunk that Levi didn’t even bother trying to wake them the following morning, and Mike told them to go on without him after bidding Erwin his goodbyes, as he needed to stay behind and take care of the three idiots.

They nibbled on food court chicken nuggets and spat out halting words as they waited for the plane announcements. Erwin pretended not to hear them until the very last call, when he finally stood from his seat, looking like he really would cry this time. So Levi did what he did best as he slowly walked him towards the terminal: shower the blond with insults and crack nasty bathroom jokes, all the way up until the moment when Erwin’s ticket was being ripped in two, the stewardess handing him the stub with a smile. Erwin turned around, silently imploring Levi with shiny eyes. But there was a long line behind him, so the only thing Levi could do was plant a quick kiss on his lips before shoving him away, hissing “don’t shit your pants if the turbulence gets too rough”. Erwin's answering smile was sad but resolute as he slowly made his way past the fogged glass doors. Levi's smirk and casual wave lasted until he was out of sight.

* * *

Life went on. There wasn’t any other way Levi could describe it, no matter how overused the phrase may be. He was his own person, with his own responsibilities and interests and friends. Erwin wasn’t there with him, and his absence left an emptiness in Levi’s life, one he felt acutely at times, but that didn’t mean Levi wasn’t already happy with what he had.

Winter passed in a flurry of fireworks and belated snowstorms, and Erwin’s text messages gradually waned in their whininess. Before Levi knew it, it was March and he was deep in spring-cleaning mode, decked out in an old t-shirt and shorts, handkerchiefs (which Erwin always made fun of) tied around his mouth and hair as he dragged his cart of cleaning supplies (which Erwin had gotten him for his birthday) from room to room.

April, Erwin told him they’d asked him to stay at least another six months past the original term, his pixelated features drooping. But the extension was an affirmation of Erwin’s competence, definitely something to be celebrated, so even though Levi's gut sank at the news, his congratulations were genuine.

June marked a full half-year into the internship, and Erwin had finally collected enough vacation days that he was able to make it back for a four-day, three-night trip. He arrived on a rainy Saturday, everyone gathering at the airport to welcome him back in dramatic fanfare. They held a short party at Mike and Nana's place again, and although Erwin was supposed to be the heart of it, nobody said a word when he and Levi snuck back to the latter's house. Erwin insisted on a bout of small talk with Kenny first, but Levi was dragging him upstairs before anything of importance could be said, and then they were tangled in each other, desperate but quiet. When Erwin had to leave, it hurt almost more than the first time, and the tiny, cowardly part of Levi wished Erwin wasn't as amazing at his job as he was.  

August, Levi got his license for massage therapy with Petra, who had joined him at Dr. Jaeger’s clinic after the end of her own shorter internship. They threw a celebration to commemorate the event with Hange and Mike and Nanaba, while Erwin occupied his own spot at the table, beaming from the laptop screen as he tapped his beer against his webcam in a toast. It was a rare night where Levi drank enough to be effectively buzzed, goaded on by Hange, and he ended up on the carpeted floor, hugging his laptop to his face. To Erwin's absolute delight, he discovered that the other man was clingy and petulant and uncharacteristically honest with his affections in his inebriated state.

October, for Erwin’s birthday, Levi sent him a ridiculously cheap mini vacuum cleaner he’d found at Costco (its horsepower was worth so many times its price—jackpot) and a framed, pocket-sized, half-naked picture of himself in a provocative pose. The second gift had been a gag present that Hange and Petra had convinced him to send, but he found himself oddly nervous anyway as he watched Erwin excitedly rip apart the wrapping paper. The blond’s dumb face when he saw the photo became number two on Levi’s mental list of Favourite BF Expressions.

December, Erwin was so busy he couldn’t even make it back for Christmas. Levi didn’t particularly mind, or so he convinced himself; Christmas was a time spent with family, and he’d already felt crappy for not spending it with Kenny the year before, so Erwin’s absence didn’t hurt as much as it could have. On the eve of, Erwin’s present arrived on doorstep, much to Levi's surprise; he’d believed the blond too busy to go shopping. And he was probably right, because it wasn’t something Erwin could have bought, if he didn’t count the huge mason jar that contained his gift. Inside were hundreds of pieces of folded paper, each a few sentences long, brief letters addressed to Levi. In his birthday card, Erwin explained that there was one for every day until next year, but the twelve months Levi had already spent without his big dolt finally got to him in that moment. He read all of the letters in one sitting, throat closed off and heart swelling. ‘Dear Levi, I saw a bug today on my way to work and it reminded me of you. It was small and cute and sleekly black, and wouldn’t get off of my shoulder even after I tapped around it. It’s been making distracting buzzing noises by my ear all day,’ scrawled in Erwin’s loopy but still somehow messy handwriting, should not have been as tear-jerking as it was. Levi lugged the jar to Staples the next day and had every letter laminated.

February, Dr. Jaeger received all the signed papers he needed to open a massage therapy center adjoined to his physiotherapy clinic. Petra and Levi were put in charge of the new center: a promotion that left them squealing and furiously texting Erwin, respectively. Construction and redecoration began almost immediately, set to be complete by May. The pair always ended up useless by the end of the day, working during regular hours and then spending their evenings taking care of business. Levi often fell asleep in the middle of his Skype calls with Erwin, which the latter found both worrying and endearing.

June, Levi was getting used to life as a head massage therapist. His forearms had gotten even more muscular and veiny. Erwin was very appreciative, ooh’ing and ahh’ing with his face pressed too close to the screen, and that didn’t exactly help with Levi’s pining. It seemed that the more time went by, the less intense his I-miss-my-stupid-fucking-giant-where-the-fuck-is-he episodes became, but they were happening more frequently now, probably because it was nearing the end of Erwin’s six-month extension.

But July, finally, _finally_ , Erwin informed Levi that his internship would be ending by early August, a date that Levi was scrambling to circle on his calendar as soon as it was out of Erwin’s mouth. It was the first time Erwin had seen with his own eyes—not through texts or second-hand accounts from Hange or Petra—a hint of the desperation shared between them, and when he told Levi as much, the dark-haired man scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Don’t expect a huge fucking welcome at the airport or anything,” he said.

* * *

Two days before Erwin was set to come back, Levi couldn't sleep. As to be expected. He thought about spamming Erwin with text messages as revenge, but decided that that was too mean even for him, considering how late it was over there. He'd taken out Erwin's jar of letters and reread them all for what had to be the eight-hundred-fiftieth time before he groaned and accepted that he was not going to sleep that night. 

Conversation: Hange Zoe, Petra Ral, Levi Ackerman

Levi Ackerman: wake up shitheads

Hange Zoe: hey

Levi Ackerman: oh ur awake

Hange Zoe: ya i was studying this new marine organism we found the other day out in the field. wanna hear about it

Levi Ackerman: no.

Hange Zoe: wat but its so interesting!!!!! how could u not want to hear about it!!!!!!!

Levi Ackerman: stfu wheres petra

Hange Zoe: dunno probs getting it on with oluo

Levi Ackerman: ew holy fucking shit, i do not need that mental image

Hange Zoe: heh

Petra Ral: I WAS NOT GETTING IT ON WITH OLUO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I WAS ACTUALLY WASTING MY LIFE AWAY ON THE INTERNET

Hange Zoe: thats uh great

Levi Ackerman: shouldve stuck with the oluo thing

Petra Ral: don't judge me :'( so what's going on?

Levi Ackerman: whos free tmr?

Hange Zoe: me

Petra Ral: me, too! :D what’s up?

Levi Ackerman: come over

Hange Zoe: y u feeling lonely or something ha erwins gonna be back in two days just suck it up

Petra Ral: i'm so disappointed that we can't go with u to the airport, though! wish he'd scheduled his flight for a sunday or something :(

Hange Zoe: petra u moron this way they can have their gross lovey dovey reunion without us duh y do u think levi went outta his way to get the day off

Petra Ral: OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH, I SEE, I SEE! sorry for being obtuse teehee 

Levi Ackerman: ...u bitches need to stop running ur mouth

Hange Zoe: so u still havent told us wat we're going over for

Levi Ackerman: u two have a bunch of shit i could use

Petra Ral: what kind of stuff?

Levi Ackerman: glitter

Hange Zoe: wtf u going to a rave or something

Levi Ackerman: no omfg. i need glitter and construction paper and glue sticks and markers or watever

Petra Ral: ??? i have some left over from my younger siblings, if you’d like?

Levi Ackerman: anything will help

Hange Zoe: sure “younger siblings” r u sure it aint just for ur ho parties

Petra Ral: WOOOOW

Petra Ral: wait, what’s a ho party?

Hange Zoe: .........................

Hange Zoe: so levi y u need all this crap anyway

Petra Ral: DDD:

Levi Ackerman: we’re gonna make a poster

Hange Zoe: ew i hate making posters havent u had enough of those

Petra Ral: really? i like making posters! :D

Levi Ackerman: i hate them too but this will be a fun one, trust me. so come over tmr at watever time

Hange Zoe: ok i got lotsa construction paper and shit so ill bring that

Levi Ackerman: cool

Petra Ral: YAAAY i’m looking forward to this! :))

* * *

Two days later, Levi was scrambling through his morning routine, forcing breakfast he didn’t feel like eating down his throat and frantically brushing his teeth.

“I’m guessing Erwin’s coming back today,” Kenny drawled from the dining table.

“Mmph-ph-hmm,” Levi said around his toothbrush.

“D’you wake up late or something?”

Levi darted into the bathroom, spat and gargled. “Couldn’t sleep last night then randomly passed out slept through the alarm fuck my life god fucking dammit,” he shouted.

“Calm your tits, kid. Just take the car. Keys are in my jacket pocket.”

“Really? You’ll let me take the car?” Levi said, popping out from the bathroom, shirt half-off.

“Yeah, but if you get any fucking spunk on my leather seats, I’ll cut you.”

“What the fuck, Kenny, I wouldn’t do that.”

He made a mental note to buy condoms from the airport pharmacy.

* * *

An hour and a half later, Levi was standing in front of Arrival Hall B, legs spread, arms crossed, glaring at the tracking screen. Erwin’s flight had read “arrived” for the past forty-five minutes, but no one with his airline tagging their suitcase had walked out yet. Levi tapped his foot, grumbling to himself. Why the fuck did it take so long to get your baggage anyway? They needed to implement a more effective system, because making the suitcases play ring-around-the-rosie was _so_ smart. Levi was just _itching_ to give whoever had thought up the idea a Nobel prize.

He was considering heading upstairs to buy a cup of tea for himself and some kind of sugary coffee concoction for Erwin when someone tapped him on the shoulder. “Um, excuse me, sir.” He turned, glare at max power. A scrawny man (kid?) in a security uniform was standing there, fidgeting. Levi raised a brow.

“What.”

“Um...I’m sorry for bothering you, but it’s just that we’ve received a couple complaints...”

Levi’s brow was so scrunched up he probably looked like he had a unibrow right now. Although of course even his combined eyebrows didn’t have the commanding power of a single of Erwin’s. Fuck, he missed the guy. “About what?”

Security Dude pointed at the poster propped up against Levi’s legs. “That.”

“Oh, yeah? What about it?”

“Uh.” He gestured vaguely around and Levi glanced at his surroundings. Two young mothers, an elderly man, and a suited businessman were shooting him disgusted looks. Levi sneered.

“What, these people complained to you? Are you serious? It’s not like it’s a picture of a dick. You shits got a problem with glitter or something?”

“Actually, I think it’s the profanity,” Security Dude provided helpfully.

Levi shook his head. “People are so fucking sensitive nowadays. What do you want me to do, then? I’m not gonna throw it away just ‘cause a few sticks in the mud can’t take a joke.”

“Oh!” Security Dude exclaimed, clapping his hands. “How about we censor it? I have some paper and glue back at the office if you’d like. We could black out the ‘U’ with a sharpie and paste a large asterisk over it!”

Levi’s jaw made a cracking sound with how far open it dropped. "Are you fucking with me right now? You want me to censor this tiny-ass little poster because, like, two prudes in this entire airport can't just pretend to not see it?"

"But you have to admit that it's hard to ignore, sir. Your poster is almost larger than you—"

"Did you just take a crack at my height?!" Levi screeched. He was about to give the airhead officer a piece of his mind when a voice spoke up behind him, deep and smooth and fucking beautiful, unpolluted by static or Internet lag.

“Is something going on over here?”

Levi stiffened, eyes going wide and mouth hanging open.

“Oh, it’s nothing to worry about, sir,” Security Dude said. “I was just going to help this gentleman take care of some...offensive aspects of his poster.”

“Is that so? What’s so offensive about it?”

The guy shot a sheepish look over Levi’s head. “Well, the profanity.”

“Ah,” the sexy voice said, edging on a laugh. “I suppose I’ll have to see for myself. Excuse me, sir.” He tapped Levi on the shoulder.

Levi swallowed. His sneakers squeaked against the shiny floor as he slowly swiveled around. He was met with a faceful of a plaid shirt.

“’Sup,” he said to the shirt.

“Hi,” it said back fondly. “Can I see the poster?”

Levi shuffled a few steps back to give himself some room, then picked up the large piece of cardboard, holding it out in front of his face. He flipped it around. There were several seconds of tense silence before the voice began chuckling.

“Welcome home, big...ah. Well.” He cleared his throat. “I, for one, find this quite endearing.”

Levi’s face warmed. “Shut up.”

“Ummmm,” Security Dude said. “Do you two know each other...?”

They both ignored him.

“Would you please stop hiding behind the poster? As charming as it is, I’d rather see your face right now.”

Levi pursed his lips, holding the poster up even higher. “No. I’m mad at you right now, bastard.”

“What? Why?”

“I stood here for almost an hour waiting for your fat ass, but nooooo, you just _had_ to come when I was having a stupid fight with the idiot over here—”

“Hey!” Security Dude exclaimed.

“—and ruined it all, I had this whole fucking plan and everything—”

“You mean something like we start running at each other with tears in our eyes and a sunset in the background and then I pick you up and swing you around—”

“No, what the fuck! You think this is gay fanfiction or something? I was gonna hold up this huge-ass embarrassing poster and force you to do the walk of shame over here—”

“Oh, Levi, that wouldn’t be a walk of shame. It would be a walk of pride. And aren’t walks of shame associated with sex—”

“ _Uh_ , then even more so, ‘cause, hello, you know we’re gonna have a nice quickie in the car first, right? Did you think I was gonna wait ‘til we got home or something? Tough luck, it’s been a year and my dic—”

“Levi! You can’t just say things like that in public! And really, stop hiding because I feel like I’m talking to myself right now!”

“You don’t seem to mind when you actually talk to yourself, jackass!”

“I do not talk to myself! And by the way, the security guard was kind of right about how you shouldn’t have been waving a large f-word around in an airport in the first place, where children are bound to see—”

Levi decided he’d had enough and flung the piece of cardboard to the ground, grabbed Erwin around the collar, and tugged him forward. His mouth opened to shout something along the lines of “WHO GIVES A FUCK ABOUT THE CHILDREN I DID IT FOR YOU YOU SHITTER,” but the words dried in his throat because Erwin was in his face now, with his loose bangs and long lashes and caterpillar brows and soft blue eyes and tall nose and plump lips and—okay, you get the idea, the man was a fucking work of art. And Levi could not get his tongue to work in the face of such ethereal beauty, so what came out of his throat was the sound his neighbour’s cat made whenever it choked on a hairball. Erwin’s brow knit together in concern, but he was rudely interrupted before he could say a word.

“UM, EXCUSE ME!” Security Dude shouted. They both turned to him. At the sight of his stupid face, Levi’s brain began working again.

“The fuck do you want? Why are you even here still?”

“Actually, I’m going to have to escort the both of you out now,” he said, voice too loud. Other people were starting to stare. Or was that from his and Erwin’s little shouting match? Whatever, it didn’t matter. “I’ll take you to the north entrance.”

“Fine by me,” Levi jeered. “We need to be doing other things now, anyway. In the car.”

“Levi,” Erwin hissed, cheeks glowing.

“Stop being a slow-ass, Erwin, c’mon.” He stooped down to grab the poster, dragging it behind him, hearing speedy footsteps follow along with the drag of wheels. The annoying security guy was actually trailing behind them, fast-walking to keep up. “I parked my car in a far corner so that no one will see. And I brought lube. Smart, huh?”

“Levi,” Erwin moaned. “I don’t think it’s such a good idea to do this in public.”

Levi abruptly stopped, and Erwin crashed into him, almost making him topple over. “Shoot.” The larger man scrambled to keep them both upright, an arm around Levi’s shoulders. The smaller man whirled around, pulling Erwin close again.

“I stretched myself before I came,” he whispered into the blond’s ear. In sick satisfaction, he watched Erwin’s pupils dilate, red sweeping across his face and down past his buttoned collar. Levi licked his lips.

Erwin wordlessly grabbed his wrist, tugging him towards the entrance, and Levi pumped his fist in victory.

“Good day to you, sirs!” Security Dude called as they swept past the automatic sliding doors.

Levi threw him the finger.

* * *

They were lying entangled in the back of Kenny’s old Civic, sweat drying on their skin and breaths still uneven, when Erwin said, “Move in with me.”

“Hmm.” Levi sighed into the chest he’d missed so much. “Okay.”

“Really?” Erwin shot up, making the smaller man grunt and fall back on to the seat. He searched Levi’s eyes, brilliant smile threatening to widen into gut-socking proportions.

“Yeah.”

Erwin immediately sprawled on him, hugging him close and grinning almost audibly, planting small pecks all over Levi’s damp hair. “You don’t seem very surprised.”

“Well, I mean, it was pretty obvious ‘cause you kept asking me to go over and take pictures for you when your realtor could have done that. And asking my opinion about dumb shit.”

“Yes, I purposely chose an apartment with a large kitchen.”

“Cocky bastard. What if I refused?”

“Then I’d just keep asking until you agreed,” Erwin replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Levi harrumphed. “I’d like to give Kenny a proper greeting first, though, if that’s okay with you.”

“Sure. He won’t be surprised. Gave me this lecture about how I shouldn’t mind him if I ever wanted to move out or whatever, like, two years ago.”

“The apartment’s only a block away from your house, so hopefully he won’t feel too lonely.”

“Yeah.” Levi snuggled closer, breathing in Erwin’s fresh-laundry scent. “Thanks.”

“No need to thank me. I quite enjoy your uncle’s company, in any case. Maybe we could all eat dinner together once a week.”

“That would be nice,” Levi said quietly, smiling. “I think he’d like that.”

“Good.”

They lay in silence for a moment, Erwin tenderly stroking Levi’s back as the latter listened to that strong, familiar heartbeat. Morning light shone in from between concrete pillars into the parking lot, sun high in the sky despite the early time.

It was the perfect atmosphere for Levi to say something special.

“Erwin,” he whispered.

“Hmm?”

“I need to tell you something.”

“What is it?” Erwin said softly.

“Three words.”

Erwin’s breath hitched. “Yes...?”

“I...”

“Go on,” he pleaded, tightening his hold on Levi.

“I...”

“You...?” His eyes were so wide Levi wondered if they'd pop out of his head.

“I...I gotta shit,” he blurted out and burst into cackles, slapping the blond’s ass in uncontrolled mirth.

Erwin groaned and rolled away, throwing an arm over his face to hide what was undoubtedly a stupid grin. “Levi, you amaze me.”

“Yeah, yeah. Now come on, get up, I actually have to take a shit.”

“Right this instant?” Erwin whined. “But I don’t want to move.”

“I’m telling you, the shit’s gonna come out if you don’t hurry,” Levi warned, pulling his shirt back over his head. “And you have to go with me. Petra’s been telling me about how fun it is to go to bathrooms in groups, and I’ve always wanted to try. Indulge me.”

“Fine,” Erwin said, sitting up and feeling around for his clothes. “Let’s go before your anal sphincter fails on you then.”

“Good bf. You’re learning,” Levi said, grabbing his face and kissing him full on the mouth before shoving the door open and bounding outside. “Hurry the fuck up!”

“Yes, yes, my darling boyfriend, I’m coming.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter is just a short extra :)
> 
> sequel is in the works. it'll be a compilation of one-shots (or few-shots) of eruri's life after they move in with each other. fluff, smut, and maybe a bit of angst.
> 
> I MADE A TUMBLR LIKE 2 WEEKS AGO: [afuzzyowl.tumblr.com](afuzzyowl.tumblr.com) i'll probably be posting updates from there first. pop by if you get a chance! :D
> 
> p.s. i'm sorry i changed my ao3 name from "fuzzyowl" to "afuzzyowl"; "fuzzyowl" wasn't available on tumblr and i wanted them to be the same.


	11. Extra: The Realities of Texting your Long-Distance S.O.

At first, it begins with pining. It’s a black hole in your chest, doubts sinking shadowed claws into your frantically beating heart (frantic because your heart has gone someplace far, far away, and how’s it supposed to keep you alive from such a distance anyway?), your irrational fears concocting wild fantasies. Yes, irrational, because what’s a physical connection when you’re holding their heart in your hands too, technology granting you everything else—their voice, their expressions, their gestures, their thoughts.

Yet, still, you fear.

The BF: Levi, I miss you already. Are you awake?

You: ya its still early here. isnt it like 4am for u. also it’s literally been 3 days, moron

The BF: Yes, but I couldn’t get to sleep. Jet lag and all.

You: oh

The BF: And yes, it’s only been three days, but just knowing that you’re not a few minutes’ walk away is eating me up. Even when I was busy before, I was fine because I knew I could still see you if I needed to. :(

You: ya well better get used to it

The BF: :(((((((((((( Leviiiiiiii.

You: sap

The BF: Leviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. Leviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.

You: well if typing out all those i’s makes u feel better then im not stopping u

The BF: I want to see you already.

You: u can still see me now. we have skype

The BF: I suppose.

You: u busy now?

The BF: Not at all. I’m rolling around on bed, thinking of you.

You: get on skype then, bf

The BF: All right. xo

* * *

But as time passes, the ache gets a little better, and you think less about how much of your life they’re missing and more about how much of it to which they’re still privy.

The BF: Leviiiii, it’s so cooooold here! I can hardly type on my phone when I’m outside. :(

You: why dont u get some of those gloves, like the ones u can use on touch screens

The BF: There are gloves like that? I didn’t know they existed.

You: u r such an old man, how do u not know about them

The BF: I don’t believe any of my colleagues use gloves like that. :O

You: thats cuz ur colleagues r boring ol stick in the ass lawyers

The BF: That’s not very nice to say! Though it’s true. :P So where do you suppose I could buy a pair? Do you think they’re useful? :O

You: i dunno, any techy store? ya i think theyre pretty cool. i dont have any myself but i tried out hange’s once

The BF: Oh, I see. All right, maybe I’ll go check out Best Buy tomorrow. :)

You: ew no best buy is overpriced. and i bet the gloves there r ugly. k no u know what, ill send u some

The BF: Aww, Levi, you don’t have to. xoxo

You: too bad, im ordering them already. faux leather bb, u can pretend ur some kinda badass

The BF: Well, how very thoughtful of you. :P Levi, I love you. <3

You: ugh

The BF: <333

You: fucking sap

The BF: :DD

You: fine ilu2

* * *

Of course, sometimes you have your bad days, and those are the days you stay glued to your phone.

You: im having the worst fucking day ever

The BF: What’s wrong? :O

You: huge fucking headache and eren wont stop staring at me for some fucking reason

The BF: Didn’t you say he was staring all of yesterday too? Maybe he has something important to say.

You: ya well even if he does idgaf

The BF: What does idgaf mean? :O

You: i dont give a fuck

The BF: Oh, I see. Seems like a useful expression for you. ;)

You: u know it

The BF: But back to your headache, I have a fool-proof method to dispel it. It’s a recipe I learned from my grandmother. :D

You: is it full of weird shit

The BF: No, it’s an herb smoothie of sorts. I’ll send it to you later; I don’t have it with me since I’m in a meeting right now.

You: wtf y u texting during a meeting

The BF: It was your special ringtone so I had to check. D: And then you said you were having a horrible day, so I couldn’t just ignore it.

You: WTF PUT UR PHONE DOWN AND GO BACK TO UR MEETIGN

The BF: Okay, okay! Don’t be mad. Your headache will get worse. I’ll email you later, then. Bye for now. xoxoxoxo

You: ok thx bf xo

* * *

As for your S.O., well, naturally, they have their bad days, too.

You: happy birthday u huge fuckity fuck fuck

The BF: Thank you.

You: whats wrong, u dont sound too happy. wheres my :))) and xoxoxo and <333

The BF: Sorry I’m not being very enthusiastic. Something about today and you not being here is getting to me. To be entirely honest with you, Levi, I’m becoming tired of this.

You: miss me too much, do u

The BF: You don’t know the extent.

You: yeah like the “levi i miss u”s “levi i need u now”s “levi my bed is cold without u”s that u send literally every single day arent enough

The BF: Touché. :(

You: u accepting the internship extension?

The BF: I’ll have to think about it. Being here is a good experience, but I’m not sure remaining an intern for over a year is a good usage of my time.

You: ok. i dunno anything bout legal shit but if u wanna discuss, u got me

The BF: Yes. <3

You: btw dr jaeger’s plans for the new massage therapy clinic have been finalized. just gotta send in the paperwork now

The BF: Oh, Levi, that’s amazing!! I’m so happy for you!! We should drink to a toast on Skype. :D

You: cheered right up, didnt u. and isnt it kinda early to be celebrating

The BF: That’s okay! Everything is pretty much settled, right?

You: ya.

The BF: Then I say we celebrate. :D

You: ok. toast tonight? perfect timing cuz ur bday too

The BF: Sure. I think I have a couple beers left in the fridge. :)

You: cool. btw i think u should pay extra attention to ur mail today

The BF: Why’s that? :O

You: i mightve sent u a lil something

The BF: A birthday present??

You: maybe

The BF: Levi, I love you!!!! xoxoxoxoxo

You: u dont even know what it is

The BF: It doesn’t matter. I’ll be happy with whatever you give me. <3

You: lol ok. also since its ur bday: i love u too erwin

The BF: I think I’m going to cry. :’)

You: love u and ur boobs and thighs and horse cock mmm

The BF: Can’t distract me with that, still going to cry. :’)

You: omfg can u not

* * *

And of course, there are the frisky photos you start sending once your angst wears off enough for your libido to return.

The BF: Levi, you can’t send picutres like that to me in the middle of a work dya! :((((

You: what, too hot for u? distracting u from ur important lawyer work? heres another

The BF: Nooo, stop iiit. How am I supposed to hide an erection at work? D:

You: time to get creative. ive heard that some guys wrap their dicks between their legs and up towards their asses

The BF: ??? How does that work?

You: y dont u try and lemme know, ha. altho it might not work for u cuz ur dicks too fucking huge. speaking of huge dicks i need one in my ass right bout now

The BF: ...I don’t know how much longer I can take this for.

You: hmm, weak as usual. u could always save the pics for later

The BF: You know I can’t leave your messages unread, Levi. :(

You: ya well thats ur problem. k so for these ones, which do u think is better, 1 or 2

The BF: JESUS CHRIST, LEVI. I hope those clothes didn’t cost you too much because they don’t cover anythign at all.

You: u havent answered my question. fine, fine. ill send u closeups since thats probably what ur going for, nasty pervert

The BF: PLEASE, LEVI. I AM BEGGING YOU.

You: nope i just rly feel like torturing u today, too bad so sad

The BF: MERCY.

You: well? which one

The BF: FINE, 2, I LIKE 2, PLEASE, NO MORE.

You: u like 2??? holy fuck u r srsly such a perv, like u actually need to repent or something. ok watever next set. now choose 3 or 4

The BF: OH, GDO

* * *

But really, most of your texts end up being about trivialities. And that’s okay, because hopefully by now, you understand that your S.O. is just as excited to hear about any detail of your day as you are about theirs.

The BF: Levi, I’ve got a pimple on my cheek. :(

You: ass cheek?

The BF: No, the cheek on my face!

You: oh boring. but thats weird. u never get pimples

The BF: Yes, and this one’s quite large. It’s bothering me quite a bit.

You: u been sleeping right? eating right?

The BF: Hmm, relatively. I’m hoping this is just a one-time thing.

You: hm dont worry bout it, i get zits sometimes too

The BF: You rarely do. D: I’m actually not quite sure what to do about this. Would you like a photo?

You: sure, i guess

You: damn, ur right, its big. better put medicine on that or itll scar

The BF: I don’t have any pimple medicine, though. To be honest, I wouldn’t particularly care even if it did scar, but I can see it out of the corner of my eye right now and it’s distracting me. :((

You: go to the pharmacy and ask for one of those sample tubes then

The BF: They have samples for this? :/

You: i dunno go seduce the pharmacist for some

The BF: Haha, I’m not sure it works that way. But I’ll try, since you’re obviously so concerned about my welfare. xoxoxo

You: ya well, u should take the opportunity to practice ur wooing skills on the pharmacist anyway, since im not gonna be all malleable clay in ur hands when u get back

The BF: Oh my, are you going to play hard to get? :O

You: maybe. i aint easy, u know

The BF: I see. A challenge, then? I’ve always enjoyed a good challenge. <3

You: ...srsly like repent tho

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the end.
> 
> a sincere thank you for sticking with this dumb story. i hope you enjoy the sequel as well! :D
> 
> hit me up on tumblr (i'd love to chat!): [afuzzyowl.tumblr.com](afuzzyowl.tumblr.com)


End file.
